The Awakening Power
by sib-ff
Summary: Complete! Challenges fill Harry’s 6th year: growing powers, Snape as defense teacher, new Potions teacher, a new crush on him, Voldemort, Ginny, Goblins? Lots of humor, drama, action and romance! H:G,R:Hr. Award winner!
1. Prologue

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Prologue_

_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

_Summary: Complete! Challenges fill Harry's busy sixth year: growing powers, Snape becomes defense teacher (and Harry's not in the mood for abuse), a new Potions teacher, a girl with a new crush on him, Quidditch, Voldemort, and a certain redheaded girl named Ginny who may help him through all of it. What are the goblins up to? Will Ron win Hermione back? And what exactly is Voldemort's diabolical plan to kill Harry and plunge magical society into anarchy? Lots of romance, drama, action and humor! Voted Phoenix Song's Best Novel-Length Story (along with Best Harry and Best Kiss)._

_* * *_

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk and contemplated his thoughts swirling in his Pensieve. They looked particularly stormy today as he worried about the path his plans were taking. There were so many things that could go wrong. 

He was waiting for his friend. He considered the man a friend, although he was difficult to get close to. Dumbledore sighed. The man had traveled a difficult journey, and although Dumbledore had good news for him today, the journey was about to get more difficult. 

A quiet knock came at his door. "Enter, please," Dumbledore said, putting his Pensieve aside. 

Severus Snape entered the room and stood respectfully in front of the desk. "You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" 

"Yes, Severus," Dumbledore said, smiling at Snape. "Thank you very much for coming. Please sit down." 

"How may I be of service?" Snape could not keep the curiosity out of his voice as he took a seat. 

Dumbledore paused, gathering his thoughts. "I have been surreptitiously observing young Mr. Potter." 

Snape waited silently, his face a mask. 

"I believe his adult powers have begun to manifest themselves. I have run a few subtle tests, and the results concern me," said Dumbledore. 

"Is he not what you expected? Prophecies have been known to be wrong before," Snape said smoothly, failing to keep the sneer out of his voice. 

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "No, Severus, you misunderstand. I find myself concerned because his powers are growing at an alarming rate. With all the events of the last year, combined with his normal puberty, I am concerned that he will not be able to control them." 

Snape eyes narrowed, his mind calculating. "How does this concern me?" he asked quietly. 

Dumbledore smiled. "That brings me to the second order of business. Severus, as you well know, I have been reluctant to give you the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. I am certain you have guessed that my reluctance has been due to putting you too close to the, er, temptations of the subject. However, we do not live in normal times, and the students must be prepared for the coming war. In short, I need you to teach your best subject. 

"Congratulations, and I hope you will accept this new post." Dumbledore waited for Professor Snape's response. 

Snape looked stunned, but recovered quickly. "Thank you, Headmaster. I accept the position." 

"Excellent!" Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled. "A toast to your new position," he said as he pulled out a bottle and two glasses. 

They drank the toast silently. Snape began to get up, but Dumbledore stopped him. After a pause, Dumbledore said, "Severus, I must warn you not to take Mr. Potter lightly. He is our only hope for defeating Voldemort. It is imperative that he learns to control his emotions. I would never presume to tell you how to teach your classes. I will only suggest that you handle him a bit more... delicately than perhaps you have in the past." 

Snape's face closed down, and he made no comment. 

Dumbledore grew pensive, as he laced his fingertips and gazed over the steeple at Snape. "Severus, I predict that sometime this year, his powers will surpass even my own." 

* * * 

_A/N: Thanks to my beta reader Delylah._


	2. Chapter 1 Solitary Thoughts

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 1:_ _Solitary Thoughts_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry Potter was angry.  
  
He was lying on his bed at the Dursleys', staring at the ceiling. He wasn't exactly certain why he was angry, but his mood was reflected by the dim shadows created by the gray sunlight seeping through his window. A summer storm had swept through the town, and was only now beginning to wane as the sun set.  
  
Harry spent a lot of his time away from the Dursleys', aimlessly walking through the town, or sitting in the park reading his Defense Against the Dark Arts books. The latter had become an obsession to him, a distraction to the torments of thinking about the events of the previous year. At the beginning of summer, he had owled Professor Dumbledore and asked to borrow some N.E.W.T. level textbooks. The Professor had graciously sent him a variety of books.  
  
He would sit for hours reviewing spells and planning lessons for his D.A. classes, which he intended to resume once the new school year started. He was certain Dumbledore would give permission for the D.A. to continue, and he wanted to be prepared.  
  
He also wanted to prepare himself. The fact of the matter was that while he performed better in the battle last year than he had done in his fourth year, there was still a lot of luck involved. It was a miracle that no one else had been killed. That thought led inevitably to the one casualty of the battle: his godfather, Sirius.  
  
Harry swung his legs over the bed, and got up, frustrated. He began pacing the room, trying to work off his excess energy.  
  
He felt alternately numb and angry. At first, he simply couldn't believe Sirius was really gone. Having spent so little time with him, it almost seemed like he was away somewhere, as usual. Sirius represented a link to his parents, and now yet another link was severed just when Harry was getting used to the idea of having him in his life. He didn't open himself up easily, and it cut him very deeply for someone to leave him so suddenly.  
  
Not only had he led everyone into a trap, but he also felt useless in the battle once he was there. He felt he should have been better prepared. _I must learn more_, he thought determinedly. The thought had sustained him through the summer, becoming a mantra for him. He knew he would never be the bookworm that Hermione was, and he would never have her breadth of knowledge. But he knew that in this one area, he could do well.  
  
_I have to do well, _he thought desperately.  
  
He had paced for several minutes when the loud voice of his uncle shouted up the stairs, "Boy! Up there! Cease that infernal noise!" The warnings of the Aurors at the end of last year had made the Dursleys much more tolerable, but not any more friendly.  
  
Harry sighed, and threw himself into a chair at his desk. He guiltily looked over to the large stack of unanswered letters from Ron and Hermione. They appeared to be trying to make up for last year, as they made a supreme effort to tell him as much as possible about what was going on. The letters helped him to feel in contact with the wizard world, but it wasn't the same as being there.  
  
He drew a sheet of parchment, intending to write a letter. His head was filled with thoughts, but nothing seemed to flow from his brain through his hand and onto the paper. He'd tried to write back, but his rare letters tended to be short and to the point. He simply didn't have much to write about, and, even if he had the words, he didn't want to talk about what he was feeling.  
  
More for amusement than anything, he picked up his quill and began writing.  
  
_Dear Ron and Hermione, _  
  
_I forgot to tell you! Trelawney prophesized before I was born that I have to kill Voldemort or die trying. That's why he killed my parents and tried to kill me. Hope you're enjoying your summer!_  
  
_Love,_  
  
_Harry_  
  
Well, it had seemed like an amusing idea before he actually wrote it. He crumpled up the paper and threw it in the rubbish bin.  
  
The prophecy weighed heavily upon his mind. It said that he held some sort of power that Voldemort didn't, but if he did, he didn't know what it was or how to use it. Why couldn't Dumbledore just tell him what he was supposed to do? Harry dropped his head into his hands in despair.  
  
How could the responsibility of defeating one of the most evil wizards in history be placed on the shoulders of an unremarkable boy such as himself? _Who decided this? How is it possible to do anything except fail?__I can't even defeat a bunch of Death Eaters_, he thought. If the Aurors hadn't swooped in when they did... well, so far he had been lucky. _I have that going for me, I guess_, he thought with a trace of amusement, which lasted until he thought of those who hadn't been so lucky.  
  
The truth was that Harry felt like a fraud. What bloody power? He felt a small amount of confidence in his abilities in Defense classes. _But what does that prove? _he thought miserably. _Lots of people are good at defense_. He knew he could never defeat Mad-Eye Moody in a duel, much less Dumbledore. And if Dumbledore felt he couldn't defeat Voldemort himself...   
  
Harry sighed. He pulled a few letters from his stack and began to read.  
  
Ron's letters were always entertaining, and his updates on the professional Quidditch teams were welcome. Harry wished he could get out his Firebolt and do some practice flying. He desperately missed playing Quidditch, particularly since his "lifetime" ban had been instituted last year.  
  
Hermione, of course, suspected what he was feeling. She dropped a lot of hints that she wanted him to write to her about his thoughts. Harry was tempted to try and write some of it down but couldn't escape the feeling that no one could really understand.  
  
How can anyone understand what it's like to get your godfather, one of your last links to your family, killed through your own stupidity? How can anyone understand what it's like to fight personal battles with Voldemort? _he thought moodily._  
  
_Well, there is one person who knows something about that,_he reflected. He thought back to last year when he had wondered whether he was being possessed.  
  
_"Well, that was a bit stupid of you," _Ginny had said angrily_, "seeing as you don't know anyone but me who's been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels."_ Why hadn't he seen the obvious? He felt a new stab of guilt. She was absolutely right, and what did it say about him that he had forgotten what had happened to her?  
  
Harry's mood grew worse.  
  
* * *  
  
Ginny Weasley stood in the kitchen of the Burrow, humming happily to herself. It had been a glorious day, and she had spent much of it reading a sappy novel underneath a tree, for which she felt a bit of guilty pleasure. For a change, the weather hadn't been too hot, and a light breeze brought a scent of wildflowers from the fields that grew nearby.  
  
She was helping her mother prepare dinner. The Burrow was rather empty these days, with only Ron, her mum and her dad in residence. There wasn't much to prepare, but she still enjoyed keeping busy. Her mum bustled nearby, casting an occasional cooking spell as the pots, pans and utensils diligently did their work. Ginny pulled out plates and began to set the table.  
  
She glanced at the calendar on the wall. _July 24th_. There was one more week until Harry's birthday. She wondered if he would have to spend yet another lonely birthday with the Dursleys. It was so unfair that Harry, who had done so much for so many, had to live with those awful people. She wondered what he was doing right at that moment. _Probably trying to evade some new Dursley torture_, she thought.  
  
"Mum, has Professor Dumbledore said when Harry will be able to leave the Dursleys'?" Ginny asked.  
  
Molly Weasley looked up from her work and smiled at her. "No, dear, not that I'm aware of. His birthday is coming up, isn't it? Perhaps I should ask if he could come here. One would imagine his 16thbirthday should be spent among his _real _family."  
  
Ginny felt a stab of irritation at her mother's smile, as if she was making _implications_. _Doesn't the world know that I'm over him? Didn't I make it clear last year that I'm not mooning over him anymore?_she thought, annoyed.  
  
At the same time, she felt pride that her mother considered her family to be Harry's real family. She hadn't understood until recently that her mother was taking a great risk by embracing Harry so openly. It would be so easy to distance her family from Harry in order to keep them safe. Her mother had a tendency to be overprotective, which normally irritated Ginny to no end. The fact that she had that trait, yet could risk such a danger made it all the more remarkable.  
  
_What would I do in her place? _Ginny wondered. It was hard to imagine having a family of her own, but would she so willingly embrace someone who was essentially a stranger? Would she put her family at risk to give love to a boy who had never known it? The courage and generosity of spirit that her mum and dad had shown was amazing to her.  
  
True, Harry was Ron's best friend. Ron was just as stubborn as any Weasley, and it wasn't as if her mum could have forbidden Ron to be friends with Harry without a huge row. Mum knew that Ron and Harry had grown close their first year. But she still didn't have to invite Harry back to the Burrow, or give her love as willingly as she gave it to Harry.  
  
_I'd like to think I would do the same thing, _Ginny thought. Unbidden, an image came to her of a large family, like her own. She imagined herself looking in pride over her children as they played happily. They would live in a house just like the Burrow.  
  
She smiled to herself. _Well, perhaps a _little_nicer_, she thought. She loved the Burrow, even with all its flaws – the creaky staircase, the walls and floors that always seemed a bit off from level. What the house lacked in structure, it more than made up for in character and love. Still, it would be nice if the doors closed a bit more solidly, and the windows opened without sticking quite so much. She didn't want anything ostentatious; she only wanted a bit more, well, _reliability_.  
  
As she reflected upon her future home and family, she noticed that many of her children in her mind's eye had black, untidy hair. _I am NOT going to think about THAT. It's never going to happen, _she thought, and forcefully pushed the image out of her mind.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, Harry walked up the path to the Dursleys' front door, after a good day of reading in the park. He had learned some valuable spells that should serve him very well at his next encounter with Death Eaters, and he fully expected there _would _be a next encounter. He felt in a good mood for a change, and hoped that nothing at the Dursleys' would spoil his good, productive day.  
  
Walking through the door, he immediately received a glare from Dudley. He appeared to be considering something, and then his piggish face actually smiled. Harry immediately stopped and seriously considered running back out the door. Dudley's smile set off klaxons ringing in his head.  
  
"Oh Father, _Harry_ is home. I thought you'd like to know," Dudley said sneeringly.  
  
"Oh, is he now? Thank you, my boy," said Uncle Vernon, cheerfully. Too cheerfully.  
  
If Harry was considering running before, he was in a full panic now. This could mean nothing good. He glanced around the room, considering his escape routes. Uncle Vernon had moved between him and the door.  
  
"Boy, you've done nothing around here this summer. _Nothing_. Except run off who knows where. And after all we've done for you all these years! Well, boy, this laziness is going to stop." Uncle Vernon rubbed his hands together in glee. "I have _just_ the solution to cure you of this little problem."  
  
Harry spotted an open window. He began to calculate the exact trajectory that it would take for him to dive through the window, but finally decided the plan was impractical. There were rose bushes below that window. Harry sighed. There was nothing to do except wait for the bad news.  
  
"There is a summer job opening down at the drill plant. It's an opening for a teenage boy. I specifically insisted that _you_ be given this... _opportunity._" Uncle Vernon was almost dancing with pleasure.  
  
Harry felt his temper rise. "Remember what my friends told you at the end of last year."  
  
But Uncle Vernon was unbowed at this. "Ah yes, your _friends_. I don't recall them stating that I couldn't put you to work. Are you going to write to them and tell them you're too good for a summer job? Too good to work and help around the house? Too good to earn your keep?"  
  
Harry seethed. "So what is this job?"  
  
Uncle Vernon smiled, a frightening sight. "Oh, it's a simple job. Any idiotic boy could do it. I expect that you will be perfectly qualified."  
  
Harry said nothing. He just wanted the awful truth to be revealed.  
  
"Your job will be to clean the smelting pots," Uncle Vernon said with a huge grin.  
  
Harry waited, somewhat confused. "That's it?"  
  
Uncle Vernon just smirked. "Let me lay out the cleaning procedure, boy. First, the smelting pots are six feet high, in a room filled with molten steel. It's hot, boy, _very _hot. Second, the pots get a buildup of carbon steel that has to be removed using a very large, very heavy grinding tool. Third, you have to wear toxic waste gear while you're cleaning. I think _this _little job will teach you some respect and responsibility." Uncle Vernon and Dudley guffawed loudly and grinned at each other.  
  
Harry's anger began to rise to dangerous levels. _I know some lovely curses, now, _a little voice piped up inside his head._Wouldn't it be oh-so-wonderful to get some practice in, after all the theory this summer?_ Harry pushed back his anger, and fought for control over himself. Now was not the time to fight this battle. However, there was no way he was reporting to this so-called summer job.  
  
As Harry fought his internal struggle, Hedwig flew down the stairs with a message.  
  
"What's that ruddy bird doing flying in my house? Boy, you'll pay for this!" Uncle Vernon's face had taken on a purplish cast.  
  
Hedwig dropped the letter into Harry's waiting hands. Harry was surprised at Hedwig's behavior; normally the owl knew not to provoke the Dursleys. _This note must be important_, he thought nervously. _Please, please, please, don't let it be more bad news._  
  
Harry nervously opened the letter, and began to read. His face grew incredulous, and then a wide grin broke out.  
  
Vernon narrowed his eyes at Harry, and spat out, "Well, boy? What is it?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much, really," said Harry, grinning even wider. "Only that I've been invited to stay the rest of the summer at the Weasleys', where I will spend my birthday."  
  
"Oh, you think so, do you, boy?" Uncle Vernon's voice grew low and dangerous. "I don't think so. I promised my foreman a boy to scrub pots, and you will report to work... _tomorrow_."  
  
Harry's voice grew equally cold. "And exactly how will you explain that I'm not here, ready to go, when they come calling to pick me up? When they come calling _tomorrow_, as a matter of fact? I'm certain my friend _Mad-Eye _will be displeased if I'm not here. _Very_displeased. You remember Mad-Eye, don't you?"  
  
Vernon's face dissolved from anger into fear. "You and your _freak _friends. Not an ounce of responsibility among the lot of you."  
  
Harry suddenly lost his caution. He was leaving anyway. His voice grew loud. "Yes, that's me. An irresponsible boy, who just happened to fight off a couple of Dementors and saved your lovely little Duddiekins last year."  
  
"Saved him, did you, boy? And perhaps you would care to explain why these so-called Dementors attacked him in the first place? Of course, it has _nothing_ to do with your freakish nature," he finished sarcastically.  
  
The accusation burned Harry, and what made it infinitely worse was that it was true. Dudley wouldn't have been attacked if it weren't for Harry. He didn't care for Dudley, but Uncle Vernon had hit him where it stung the most. People around Harry got hurt.  
  
Harry, feeling the turn of conversation was pushing him much too close to losing control, turned, stalked up the stairs and closed himself in his room.  
  
* * *  
  
"What's wrong with me?" he asked himself, as he loudly smacked his fist into his hand.  
  
Ron Weasley was frustrated.  
  
He was sitting in his room, gazing out the window as he watched the sun begin to sink toward the horizon. His stomach gave a growl as he waited for the evening meal to be ready. His eyes fell upon a letter on his writing desk... a letter from Hermione.  
  
He grabbed Hermione's letter and read it again. He grinned as he read about her adventures as she traveled Europe with her parents. She described visiting several cathedrals in Venice ("Oh Ron, they are so fascinating and filled with history! The muggles have no idea how much magic was used to construct them!"), and went on and on about the many other places she visited. The style was so typical of Hermione that he imagined her voice as he read.  
  
He suddenly shook himself, and realized that he had just read the letter 15 minutes ago.  
  
"What the _bloody hell _is wrong with me?" He asked himself the question, yet a part of him knew the answer. "Oh, bugger," he whispered to himself. He threw the letter on the desk, and walked over to his shelves. His eyes fell on a certain action figure that had taken a lot of abuse lately: a Viktor Krum action figure.  
  
He lunged at the six-inch Krum and grabbed him tightly. He brought him up to his eye level, and stared at him with a malevolent gaze.  
  
"Viktor Bloody Krum. What does she see in you? You're a grouchy git. Yeah, you're older. Yeah, you're an international Quidditch star. You're still a grouchy GIT!" He violently threw Krum to the floor and stalked back to the desk. He began to reach for Hermione's letter once again but forcibly pulled his hand back.  
  
"I'm not going to do it," he told himself quietly. "I'm going nutters. Barking mad. What the _bloody hell_ is wrong with me?"  
  
He yanked open his desk drawer and pulled out a photograph. Hermione looked at him from the Gryffindor common room and waved at him. The photo-Hermione pointed at her book and made scratching motions with her quill on a piece of parchment. She winked and beamed as if to say, "Homework done today means later you can play!"  
  
Ron laid the photo on the desk and sat with his chin resting on his arms, watching the photo. His thoughts wandered as he watched her lean over the parchment, writing an endless essay. Her bushy, brown hair fell over her arm as she concentrated on her work, and Ron watched, mesmerized. He idly wondered what her hair felt like.  
  
Ron abruptly pushed himself away from the desk and buried his face in his hands. "What does this mean? _What does this bloody mean?_" He raised his head, and finally voiced the thought that he had been avoiding. His face took on a look of horror.  
  
"Could it be that I... fancy her?" he said morosely. "Oh, sod it." He simply couldn't avoid the thought any longer. But then another thought came to him, even as the long denied idea began to settle in.  
  
He began pacing the room, as if he were planning a major war offensive. "OK, hypothetically speaking, let's say I fancy a certain girl. What do I do about it? She fancies Viktor Bloody Krum," Ron said, as he shot another glare at the sullen action figure lying in the corner.  
  
"Why would she be interested in someone like me, anyway? I'm not smart like her. I'm not going to be the ruddy Minister of Magic someday." His pacing transformed into angry stomping. "I'll probably be some ruddy clerk in a forgotten department. What exactly do I have to offer her over _Viktor Bloody Krum, International Quidditch Star and Grouchy Bloody Git?_"  
  
He suddenly stopped his pacing, balled his hands into fists, and began beating on his head. "And what the bloody hell is wrong with me? Why am I even thinking about this?"  
  
"Hungry! Right, then. That's the answer. No one can think clearly when he's bloody starving to death."  
  
Ron threw open his door, and stalked down to the kitchen.  
  
* * *  
  
_Harry soared through the night air, the wind whipping his hair about his face. A full moon was high overhead, providing a bright glow on the ground far below. The air was slightly cool, and he felt exhilarated as the animal he was riding upon swooped and dove._  
  
_He noticed that the animal appeared to be invisible, since he had a clear view of the ground. He could feel hard bone and lean muscle below his hands, so he was certain it was an animal. The answer came to him – he was riding a thestral._  
  
_A joyful feeling rose in his heart. He couldn't see the thestral! Cedric and Sirius must still be alive. Somehow it all never happened. Their deaths no longer stained his soul._  
  
_The thestral streaked toward a large city. Harry's joy became fear as he realized they were heading toward the Ministry of Magic. The thestral landed, and Harry dismounted, his fear increasing. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to get down to the Department of Mysteries as soon as possible._  
  
_He went into the telephone booth and tried to remember the right numbers to press. He started to panic as his memory failed him. In desperation, he exited the booth, pulled his wand and launched a spell at the booth. It blew apart, leaving a hole in the ground. He stepped over the hole, and the magic lift brought him down into the Ministry._  
  
_Down empty corridors and stairs he ran, his panic increasing. His scar gave a sharp pain as he realized that his friends were in the Death Chamber, and they were in great danger. He spotted the door._  
  
_"Not so fast, Potter," said Umbridge, appearing in front of the door. "I need a sacrifice."_  
  
_"I don't have time for this! Get out of my way!" said Harry frantically._  
  
_Umbridge grew wider and taller, a mountain of flesh before him. She held out a pen with a vicious smile. "A blood sacrifice, Potter."_  
  
_"Fine! Anything!" Harry grabbed the pen, and looked about wildly for some parchment._  
  
_"No parchment, what a shame. Well, I'm certain you'll think of something."_  
  
_Harry knew what he had to do. He took the pen, and began writing "I must not tell lies" on his forearm. His hand and arm flamed with pain as he wrote the words, the pen slicing the words into his limb like a dagger. Blood ran in rivulets down his arm._  
  
_"More, Potter," Umbridge said greedily._  
  
_He ran out of space on his left arm, so he switched hands and wrote lefty on his right arm. The words were distorted, but Umbridge didn't seem to mind._  
  
_"All right, Potter. I think you've learned your lesson." She stepped aside._  
  
_Harry ran into the room, searching madly for his friends. He noticed a group of people at the end of the chamber, and ran toward them. He felt an indescribable joy as he spotted Ron and Hermione. They smiled at him, and he also saw Ginny, Neville and Luna. He looked in wonderment as he also saw Cedric, Sirius and his parents standing alongside. Everyone that had been killed because of him was safe. He hadn't failed them._  
  
_He winced as his scar flared in pain, and then felt an icy chill behind him. He whirled around and saw that Lord Voldemort had apparated into the chamber, his cold eyes staring unmercifully at the group. Harry backed up, trying to stand between Voldemort and his friends._  
  
_"Well, well, Potter. I had come for you, but I see everyone is here. How nice that you brought them to me. It saves me a lot of time," he said, with high-pitched laughter._  
  
_Harry pulled his wand and launched several powerful stunner spells. He was certain they were powerful as he strangely felt a recoil of his wand, but Voldemort flicked the spells out of the air with his finger._  
  
_Voldemort laughed. "Dumbledore must be so proud of you, Potter," he said sarcastically. He then smiled evilly. "Let us play a game."_  
  
_Voldemort waved his wand, and the scene changed to a familiar graveyard, where Harry had fought after the Triwizard Tournament. His friends and family were lined up in front of a series of open graves. They tried to move but appeared to be trapped by invisible cages. The bright light of the moon gave their faces a pale, washed-out appearance, and they all looked at him in fear._  
  
_"Can you reach them, Potter, before I launch a spell? If you reach them, you can save them," Voldemort said, clearly amused. He pointed his wand at Hermione, and she screamed, "Harry! Help me!" Harry began to run, but a bolt of green light shot from Voldemort's wand, hitting her in the chest. She fell backward into the grave, dead._  
  
_"No!" Harry screamed. His friends and family began yelling for his help._  
  
_"I find I like this game, Potter." He pointed his wand at Ginny. "Avada Kedavra!"_  
  
_Harry tried to reach her in time, but his feet were leaden and he moved agonizingly slowly. Ginny appeared to fall in slow motion, her eyes blank. The cacophony of cries for his help scorched his ears._  
  
_"Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!" Ron and Luna fell as Voldemort picked them off one by one. Harry watched helplessly, trying to make his feet move as Voldemort finished off Sirius and Neville. Finally, only his mother and father were left, and Harry could sense the disappointment from them._  
  
_"Harry, we sacrificed ourselves for you," James said, "and this is all you can manage? Did we die just so you could kill everyone around you?"_  
  
_"A bit slow, aren't you, Potter?" asked Voldemort mockingly. "No wonder everyone dies around you. Don't you care about your friends and family? Don't you _love_ them? And what did your love do for them? Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!"_  
  
_James and Lily's lifeless bodies crumpled into their graves. Harry dropped to his knees, blood still running down his arms, surrounded by the dead who seemed to send waves of accusations at him..._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry's eyes opened. His heart was racing, and his body was drenched in a cold sweat. He was disoriented and slowly realized he was still in his room at the Dursleys'. He touched his arms, and, to his relief, they were dry.  
  
He staggered out of bed, still shaken by the vivid dream. He glanced at the clock and saw it was 4am. He walked over and sat next to his window and watched the moon. His heart was still pounding in his chest. His nightmares had mercifully started to ebb lately, but certainly not tonight.  
  
He was wide awake and needed something to calm him. He sighed and decided to pull out a textbook, _Modern Dark Arts Defense_. He read for several minutes, but his thoughts kept wandering back to the dream and the fact that he was finally leaving later that morning.  
  
He desperately wanted to see his friends, but was afraid they would want to talk about the events of last year, and how he felt about them. He knew he needed to tell Ron and Hermione about the prophecy, but he was dreading that conversation. He could just imagine the looks of worry and pity that they would bestow on him, the looks that they always gave him. The worry and pity were because they cared about him, but it still irritated him, and he didn't want to deal with it. _Just another day in the life of Harry Potter, with everyone trying to kill me_, he thought sarcastically, _no sense making a fuss about it._  
  
_Well, Potter, do you want to stay here at the Dursleys', or do you want to face your friends? Is it that hard of a decision? _He grinned to himself. He didn't care if Fred and George had a gauntlet of Wheezes that he had to run to get there; he was going, no matter what.  
  
He continued reading, the hours passing quickly as he studied the book while making an occasional note in his notebook. Looking up at the clock again, he saw it was 7:30am. The Weasley's were due to arrive at 9am.  
  
After taking a leisurely shower, Harry began to pack his trunk. He hadn't been downstairs yet. He was dreading a confrontation with the Dursleys and wanted to get out of the house with a minimum of fuss. Uncle Vernon had probably already left for the office, which only left Aunt Petunia and Dudley.  
  
At ten minutes before the appointed time, Harry brought his trunk and Hedwig downstairs. The house seemed very quiet, and he realized that all of the Dursleys had apparently decided to leave before anyone showed up. _Well, that makes it easier_, he thought.   
  
A knock came at the front door. Harry walked over and opened up the door to see Mr. Weasley and Ron standing on the doorstep. Mr. Weasley peered around the door, glancing about suspiciously.  
  
"Don't worry, they're gone. Come on in," Harry said.  
  
Mr. Weasley relaxed, and smiled as he walked through the door. "Harry, my boy! Excellent to see you."  
  
Ron walked through the front door. "Harry, mate!"  
  
"Ron!" Before he knew what he was doing, Harry embraced his friend. They broke away awkwardly.  
  
Ron grinned at him. "Er, yeah. Harry, you're my best mate, but you're going to have to learn some self-control. I know I'm spectacularly handsome and all, but people will talk."  
  
Harry felt a bit embarrassed at his outburst but was too overjoyed to be leaving the Dursleys to care. He just grinned back.  
  
"How are we getting back to the Burrow?" Harry asked Mr. Weasley, who had picked up a cheap calculator and was pushing the buttons with great interest. He had wondered if they were going to fly on brooms to the Weasleys' the same way he had gone to Grimmauld Place the year before.  
  
"Dumbledore has some security concerns, as a matter of fact. He's arranged for a special portkey to take us to the Burrow directly," said Mr. Weasley distractedly.  
  
Harry turned to Ron. "When do we leave?"  
  
"Dad? Dad? _Dad!" _Ron finally yelled at his father.  
  
"What?" Arthur had been inspecting a ballpoint pen, clicking the end to open and close it, over and over. "Oh, yes, quite right, time to go!"  
  
"You can keep that pen, Mr. Weasley, if you like," said Harry.  
  
"Really? I couldn't. Can I?" Mr. Weasley looked absolutely delighted.  
  
"Yes. It's a ballpoint pen. They're very common and not valuable at all."  
  
"Indeed, indeed. Very interesting. Perhaps you could demonstrate it... later.... Right, then. Well, boys, time to go," Mr. Weasley said, as he slipped the pen into his robes. "Get ready to touch the portkey here... where did I put it now? Ah! Here it is." Mr. Weasley pulled out a small, silver box. "Grab hold of the trunk... got Hedwig, there? Good, good, everyone touch the portkey together. On three: one, two, three!"  
  
Harry felt the jerk behind his navel, always an unpleasant experience, and landed safely in the Weasleys' living room. Ginny was seated on the couch, and she smiled at Harry as he appeared. Mrs. Weasley walked over to Harry and gave him a huge hug.  
  
"Welcome, Harry! We're so glad that Dumbledore allowed you to come here for your birthday!"  
  
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley. You don't know how glad I am to be here." Harry grinned at her.  
  
"I think I might have an idea. Look at how skinny you are! Those Dursleys!" she said darkly. "Well, you must be starving. Look at you! I have breakfast cooking. It will be ready soon." She turned and glared at Ron. "Ron! Don't just stand there! Help your father  take Harry's trunk up to his room!" With that, Mrs. Weasley headed to the kitchen.  
  
"Hi, Harry!" said Ginny brightly, getting up off the couch.  
  
Ron grabbed a handle of Harry's trunk and started walking with Mr. Weasley up the stairs. "Mum says you can stay in Fred and George's old room, although I'd be nervous about that, myself. Never know what those two gits might have left in there."  
  
Harry turned his attention to Ginny. "Hi, Ginny! Have you been enjoying your summer?"  
  
"I have, though it's been pretty quiet." She leaned forward mischievously. "Except for a certain brother of mine, who hasn't been all that quiet," she giggled.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.  
  
"You should see what happens whenever a letter from Hermione arrives. First he shuts himself in his room to read it. Then I hear him stomping around up there, until he decides to come out and be moody down here. Every so often I catch him pulling one of the letters out of his pocket."  
  
Harry grinned at her. "So it's finally happening."  
  
"And how. He's got it bad. It's about time."  
  
"Come to think of it, what _are_ Hermione's plans? Is she going to come here at some point?" Harry asked.  
  
"She'll be here for your party."  
  
"Party? What party?" Harry was stunned at this news.  
  
Ginny smiled at him. "Your birthday party, silly."  
  
"A birthday party? For me?"  
  
"No mate, a party for the Acromantula." Ron suddenly burst back into the room. "Who do you think? Can't have a birthday without a party, right? Expect a crowd of people to come. Ever since mum got the word that you could come here, she's been planning up a storm. Best prepare yourself. She's been looking for extra motherly duties since the nest emptied."  
  
Ron patted his stomach. "And the best part of you being here is that we're guaranteed she will cook up a lot of extra food. Can't have you turn into the 'boy-who-starved.' What would the Daily Prophet say?"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Great Merlin, don't you ever think about anything other than eating?"  
  
"I'm a growing boy, I'll have you know. I've grown another quarter-inch since the end of term. I need food!"  
  
"On second thought, my mistake. There is _something _else you think about," Ginny said with a smirk.  
  
"Ginny..." Ron said warningly, his face growing red.  
  
"What, Ron? Did _you_ have something in mind?" she asked innocently.  
  
Ron said nothing but looked even more menacingly at Ginny.  
  
"Ron, I was only going to say that you thought a lot about Quidditch. Am I wrong about that?" Ginny said, sneaking a glance at Harry.  
  
Harry, for his part, was trying desperately not to laugh. Ron's face was priceless.  
  
Mrs. Weasley called out from the kitchen, "Breakfast is ready!"  
  
Ron's face broke in relief at the change in subject, and he moved quickly toward the kitchen. "Let's eat! I'm starving!"  
  
Harry and Ginny followed more slowly, snickering at each other.  
  
"You're so evil," he whispered to her.  
  
Ginny raised her eyebrows at him. "Am I, Mr. Potter? You're the expert on fighting evil, so I suppose you should know."  
  
He held up his hands. "I'm not fighting you. I don't want the same treatment. I know when I've met my match."  
  
They entered the kitchen, and Harry was stunned by the spread of food on the table, particularly compared to the rather sparse portions doled out at the Dursley's. He grabbed a plate and started loading up. The smell was driving him mad, as he realized he hadn't eaten since yesterday's lunch.  
  
"All right, Harry?" asked Mrs. Weasley.  
  
Harry looked about the room, taking in the Burrow. Arthur Weasley was busy clicking his new pen, under the disapproving gaze of his wife; his friends were enthusiastically digging into their food; and the morning sunshine was streaming through the windows, casting a bright glow on everything. "Yes, thank you. Everything is brilliant."  
  
* * *  
  
The large, ornate room was dimly lit, and a shadowy figure sat at a desk. A side effect of his magically enhanced eyes was that he was sensitive to bright light. He could tolerate it if necessary, but he preferred the dark. Piles of parchment were spread over the desk, with page upon page of spell formulas neatly written across them.  
  
He heard a small knock at his door. "Enter," he said.  
  
A skinny figure peeked in and shuffled over to the desk. "Master, Mr. Wellensteller is here to see you."  
  
Lord Voldemort looked up from his work and gazed coldly at the miserable figure before him. "Show him in, Wormtail."  
  
Voldemort rose from his desk, and walked toward a silver tea set placed on a beautiful oak table in the office. He seemed to glide rather than walk, his fine robes billowing in the air.  
  
As he poured two cups of tea, Wormtail returned with a short, balding man. He was rather portly, and from behind he might almost seem jovial. This initial appearance was shattered upon looking into his face. His fleshy, fair-skinned face featured beady eyes as black as tar pits, which appeared to blink much less than normal.  
  
The man bowed deeply. "My Great Lord, I am honored to present myself."  
  
"Welcome, Mr. Wellensteller. Please join me for a cup of tea," said Voldemort. "You may leave, Wormtail."  
  
As Wormtail quickly slinked away, Wellensteller shuffled nervously over to the table. He placed a parcel wrapped in fine silk on the table and lifted the teacup. The cup shook in his hand slightly as he took a small sip.  
  
Voldemort shifted his gaze from Wellensteller to the parcel. "Have you completed my commission?"  
  
"Yes, my lord." Wellensteller seemed to grow more confident as the subject moved to the business at hand. "It is my masterpiece, my greatest work."  
  
He reached down, and gently pulled the strings of a slipknot. The silk wrapping fell away, revealing a long box. "The core is the finest Chimaera heartstring, which I carefully matched to your magical signature for maximum power. The wood is yew, fourteen and one-quarter inches. My gift to you, my lord."  
  
Wellensteller backed away, sweeping his arm in a presentation flourish. Voldemort took his place and gazed at the gift. His long, bony fingers reached out and stroked the beautiful mahogany box, which was inscribed with ancient symbols of the dark arts. He cradled it in his pale, white hands and slowly lifted the lid. A wand, stained very dark, almost black, gleamed in the dim light.  
  
"Excellent, Mr. Wellensteller. My compliments. This wand was created for a very special purpose, you know." Wellensteller shivered and unconsciously took another step back. "It is intended for a very specific mission, one that my regular wand is unsuited for."  
  
Voldemort's eyes ran the length of the wand, admiring the perfect sculpting of the wood. His eyes settled on a small engraving at the base of the wand, inlaid in gold. The engraving was an inscription that he had specifically ordered, written in an old-fashioned calligraphy. Lord Voldemort's face twisted into a chilling smile as he read the words.  
  
The inscription read, "_Harry James Potter, Son of James, Son of Lily_."  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks to my beta Delylah for an excellent job. Please review!_


	3. Chapter 2 A Weasley Summer

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 2: A Weasley Summer_

  
  
Harry sat in the Weasley kitchen with a sense of fullness he hadn't experienced in ages. That was not the feeling he generally left the table with after meals at the Dursleys'. He felt like he had eaten to make up for all the skimpy meals over the summer.  
  
"I think I'll head up and start unpacking," he said to Ron, who was finishing up a previously heaping plate of food. For all Harry had eaten, it appeared Ron was determined to easily win that battle. He appeared to be debating whether to add another helping.  
  
"Okay, mate. Maybe some chess later?"  
  
"Great," Harry replied. He got up from the table and headed up the stairs, feeling peaceful and sated. The good feelings lasted until he entered the hallway. A sense of uneasiness came over him, growing as he walked down the hall toward his door. He paused at the door, considering. Fear and dread filled him as he realized where he would be sleeping at night.  
  
He would be sleeping in Fred and George's room.  
  
He recalled the strange sounds and outright explosions that had often emanated from the room on his previous visits. It would be highly out of character for them not to leave a little reminder of the previous occupants.  
  
Harry stood against the wall to the side of the door and slowly pushed it open. The door gave a slow creak as it opened. He waited a few seconds, then he thrust a hand through the threshold and quickly pulled it back.  
  
_Well, Ron put my trunk in here, so it must be safe as far as that goes, _he thought. He slowly peeked around the corner into the room. It was noticeably larger than Ron's room, which would make sense since it slept two people. The room held two beds, two dressers and a large desk built for two. Most of the personal items had been removed, but he noticed a few Zonko's stickers stuck to the walls.  
  
The room looked innocent enough. _Too innocent,_ Harry thought, as paranoia began to set in. He tiptoed into the room, looking for any signs of triggers or traps. He pulled out his wand and waved it saying _"Finite Incantatem!" _Slightly more confident, he walked around the room, casting the magic canceling spell at all the objects in the room.  
  
Harry started to sit on one of the beds, but inches before he settled on it, he suddenly flew up and whirled around. Looking at the bed suspiciously, he poked it with his wand. Nothing happened. He pressed on it with his hand a little more firmly, and still all was quiet. He sighed. _Maybe they really did just leave the room in peace, _he thought, unconvinced_. _Harry sat down on the bed and then noticed the closet.   
  
He could have sworn the closet was closed when he came in, but now it was open a crack. He briefly considered going down to get Ron to help him deal with whatever mischief was up, but he wasn't absolutely certain the closet had been closed before. _Ron will probably just think I'm jumping at shadows because of last month's battle, _he thought.  
  
Getting irritated with the whole process, Harry firmly walked over to the closet and reached out, intending to open it. Still, he paused, his hand inches away, a sense of dread filling him. He had a gut instinct that this would not end well.  
  
Backing away, he grabbed a pillow off the bed. He swung the pillow at the door and quickly pushed it open, diving to the floor at the same time. The door banged against the wall and swung back to its original, partially opened position.  
  
Harry waited on the floor. Nothing. He slowly got up and crept up to the door. He eased it open and peered inside. The closet was mostly empty, except for a couple of garishly colored shirts that the twins apparently felt were too bright, even for them. Then he saw it.  
  
There was something in the shadows of the closet – a note, pinned to the back wall. Harry cautiously lifted the note and brought it out into the light.  
  
_Dear Harry,_  
  
_We figured mum would give you our old room, since it's the larger one. Nothing is too good for the Boy-Who-Lived, Speaker to Serpents, and Defeater of Dark Lords!_  
  
_Not to worry; the closet is safe. And you weren't imagining things; we charmed the door to open a crack when you came in. Just a harmless little joke._  
  
_We won't vouch for other parts of the room, however. _  
  
_Yours,_  
  
_Fred and George_  
  
Harry sighed. He wondered if he could sleep in the closet, since that was assured to be safe. He walked back over to the bed and slowly sat down. It had seemed safe before, but nothing was certain when it came to Fred and George. _Just what I needed, a nice, relaxing summer vacation_, he thought.  
  
He started to slowly recline on the bed, his muscles tensed, his Quidditch reflexes humming. His head finally met the pillow, his body still stiff as a board. He slowly relaxed his muscles and realized he had stopped breathing. He let out a breath and looked up at the ceiling.  
  
Just then, he noticed a bucket appearing directly above the bed.  
  
He instantly dove off the bed, scrambling to the farthest corner of the room as a bucket of a sparkly material came pouring down onto the bed and some sort of mocking music filled the room. He noticed the sparkly material seemed to adhere to the bed, and he was relieved that it wasn't stuck to him. He felt his heart thumping in his chest.  
  
"That was a close call." Ginny stood in the door, her hand over her mouth, giggling.  
  
"Too right. Your brothers are a menace," Harry said, as he tried to bring his pulse down to normal levels.  
  
"They're not completely rotten. They told me before they left that the bed joke was the only one they put up. Since you're their business backer, they felt it was only fair that you shouldn't have to tiptoe around your own room the whole summer. They _will_ be disappointed that it missed you, though. I would watch your back on that account. They'll be here for your birthday party on Sunday."  
  
"You mean you _knew _what they had done?" Harry said. He tried to put a look of outrage on his face, but couldn't help smiling.  
  
Ginny smirked. "Well, they swore me to secrecy. They said that if I told, they would do double pranks on both you _and _me. You should have seen yourself sneaking around the room, poking at everything. It was hilarious."  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. "You were spying on me?" he asked in mock anger.  
  
Ginny crossed her arms back at him and said haughtily, "I wasn't _spying_ on you. I was just... observing. Making certain you didn't need any help. Besides, my room is just next door. You were on the way."  
  
Suddenly their faces broke and both laughed. Harry couldn't remember the last time that he had such an honest, hard laugh.  
  
Ron walked in and stopped abruptly. His jaw dropped, taking in the scene of Harry on the floor, Ginny laughing with him and a sparkling mess on Harry's bed. "What happened here?"  
  
"Oh, just a little early birthday gift from your thoughtful brothers," Harry said.  
  
"At least we know your Quidditch reflexes are ready for next season," Ron replied. "And speaking of Quidditch, you'll never guess who's been traded to the Cannons! Come up to my room; I want to show you the article in the Daily Prophet," he said excitedly.  
  
Harry followed him out of the room, but not before he gave Ginny a laughing smile.  
  
* * *  
  
Ginny continued on to her room, still chuckling at the scene in Harry's bedroom. It was so nice to be able to talk to him as a normal person. She felt that she had done a credible job last year, but so far today she had done even better. Harry appeared to be more comfortable with her as well, perhaps even considering her a friend. Granted, she wasn't and probably would never be as close to him as Ron and Hermione, but what she had was much better than being the annoying little sister with the silly crush who blushed like mad whenever he was around.  
  
Not that Harry had ever _acted _annoyed; he was never anything but tolerant. _Well, oblivious would probably be more accurate_, she thought. Still, all the attention had to be embarrassing to him, and she was grateful that he was never mean to her, even at her worst.  
  
The old Ginny would have been floating for weeks from the conversation they had just had, convinced that Harry was finally lavishing attention on her and their marriage was right around the corner. The new Ginny knew that it was just Harry being Harry, and it meant nothing.__  
  
She sat down on her bed, reflecting on how far she had come. Going out with Michael had helped her grow up. With her attention distracted from Harry, she finally started to see him as a real person, rather than the idealized image she had held of him. He had flaws which she had always overlooked. What were endearing traits at the height of her crush she now actually found to be annoying.  
  
He was a brooder, for one thing. He certainly had a lot to brood about, but his tendency to pull in and distance himself from people was a trait that she suspected would prevent him from ever being truly happy. She hoped that he would eventually find someone who could pull him out of his moods.  
  
But even as she realized what a flawed hero he was, she continued to see that he was still a hero. There was no denying his bravery, loyalty and strength of character. She thought back to her experience with Tom Riddle. How had Harry done it? How did a 12-year-old boy defeat such evil magic and kill a basilisk to boot? _And save the fair maiden_, she snickered to herself. _Now, now, none of those thoughts._  
  
That had been a horrible time for her, and she had felt awful shame. The diary had been insidiously seductive, listening to her innermost thoughts and telling her what she wanted to hear. She had never even thanked Harry for saving her, not that he would be looking for thanks. The nightmares had been horrible, and it had been months before they had finally ebbed away. Ginny shuddered as some of the nightmare memories came back to her.  
  
She got up from the bed and sat down at her desk. _Why am I even thinking about this? I haven't dwelled on Riddle this much in a long time, _she thought. She looked at her picture board, which held many photographs of her friends. She contemplated a picture of Harry and Ron taken at Hogwarts.  
  
She had always felt tied to Harry's destiny. She didn't know what that destiny was, but she knew that Harry was going to play a big part in the final showdown with You-Know-Who. And she knew that when his destiny came to pass, she would be one of those standing with him, as she had at the Ministry battle. He would always have a special place in her heart. And it was okay that she would never have a special place in his.  
  
_Well, that's a lie, _Ginny thought. It was inevitable that she would never have a special place in his heart, but it wasn't _okay_. In her secret heart of hearts, she knew she still held a kernel of hope. It would probably always be there, growing more dormant as they both married other people, but she hoped that they would always remain friends.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry sat in the living room of the Burrow, flipping through one of Ron's Quidditch magazines. Ron and Ginny were playing chess across the room. There was an interesting article about some new brooms going into production, but Harry found it difficult to concentrate.  
  
He had spent the day with Ron and Ginny, just playing chess and exploding snap, talking Quidditch, and generally being lazy. But as the excitement of leaving the Dursleys' began to subside, the same pain he had been feeling all summer remained.  
  
After dinner, Ron noticed him growing more distant and kept shooting him worried looks. They irritated Harry, but he said nothing. At least Ginny appeared to be oblivious to Harry's mood, as she treated him as if nothing was wrong. Either that, or she was just more perceptive than Ron. _That's not difficult_, he thought.  
  
Although he wasn't feeling all that sleepy, he decided he couldn't take the looks anymore. "Well, I think I'll head up to bed. Feeling a little tired."  
  
Ron looked up from the game and nodded at him. "'Night, mate."  
  
"Sleep well, Harry," said Ginny, smiling.  
  
Harry headed up the stairs. He still felt a bit nervous about sleeping in the twins' old room. He'd considered whether they had told Ginny that a single prank existed to throw him off the scent, but finally decided that he couldn't tiptoe around the room forever. Anything that happened probably wouldn't be lethal.  
  
He sat at the large desk and gazed out at the Burrow's moonlit back yard. He began thinking about Sirius, once again. _How could I have been so stupid, _he thought for what seemed like the millionth time. He _knew _he needed to be less impulsive, but somehow the exact method by which he should make his decisions differently eluded him.  
  
He sighed. He just wasn't tired. _Might as well get some work in_, he thought. He pulled out his copy of _Secrets of the Dark Arts and How to Beat Them_ and began to read.  
  
Several hours later, Harry thought he heard his name being called. The Burrow was quiet, as everyone had long since gone to bed. He listened carefully, but heard nothing. He went back to his reading.  
  
_"No, please, not Harry..." _a small voice called.  
  
He definitely heard it that time. He walked around the room, listening carefully.  
  
"_No! Tom, I won't do it!"_  
  
The sound was coming from through his wall, behind the bed. He put his ear to the wall and listened carefully.  
  
_"Tom! Why are ...NO! I thought...Please don't hurt Harry."_ It was Ginny, and she sounded like she was having a nightmare.  
  
Harry froze, wondering what he should do. Finally, he entered the hallway, crept over to her door and put his ear against it.  
  
_"No, no, Tom, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" _She sounded terrified.  
  
Not thinking any further, he opened her door and ran over to her bed. Harry put his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her. "Ginny, Ginny, wake up. It's me, Harry."  
  
Her eyes snapped open and focused on him. She immediately rose up and threw her arms around him, clutching at him desperately. She was bathed in a cold sweat. Harry put his arms around her awkwardly and patted her back.  
  
"Ginny, it's all right. It was just a nightmare," he said soothingly.  
  
Abruptly Ginny let go of him. "Great Merlin, what am I doing? I'm so sorry, Harry. I thought I was still dreaming." She looked abashed. "Er, I didn't mean that the way it sounded."  
  
Harry smiled reassuringly at her, but looked concerned. "Are you all right? I'm sorry to come into your room, but I heard you calling out. Um, you were calling out my name," he finished lamely.  
  
"I was back in the Chamber," she said quietly. "With Tom."  
  
Harry thought as much. "Do you still have these nightmares very often?"  
  
"No! In fact, this is the first one in probably a year," she said, beginning to get her normal voice back.  
  
Harry's face closed down, and he said nothing.  
  
Ginny looked suspiciously at him. She spoke gently, "Harry, it's not your fault."  
  
Harry flinched in surprise. He debated with himself about how much he wanted to say. Finally he said, "Why now? Why would you have the nightmare the first night I stay at The Burrow?"  
  
"Well, it's not because you are channeling You-Know-Who into me," she said, a bit more sharply than she intended.  
  
"How do you know, Ginny? We know that I have a connection with him. Maybe I should stay somewhere else. Maybe I should go back to the Dursleys', or maybe Grimmauld Place, or... anywhere."  
  
"Don't you dare even think that, Harry! I'll tell you why I dreamed of Tom tonight, and it's not for any of these reasons that you seem to feel the need to heap upon yourself." Her voice was starting to rise.  
  
Harry looked around nervously, wondering if she would wake anyone up.  
  
Ginny noticed and lowered her voice. "Look, Harry, I suppose I could say it _was _your fault, from a certain point of view. After we talked earlier today, I just found myself thinking back to the Chamber of Secrets and the nightmares I used to have. I thought about it because I realized I had never thanked you for saving my life. It was just the thinking back on it that caused me to have the nightmare."  
  
Harry let the words sink into him, and he slowly relaxed. It made some sense. "Sorry, Ginny. I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions, especially after last month." He suddenly stopped, realizing that he had inadvertently voiced one of his fears.  
  
Ginny seemed to notice that he had said something unintended. "It's all right, Harry," she said soothingly. "I know how you feel. I second-guessed everything I did after Riddle's diary. I felt like such an idiot."  
  
Harry looked at her, shocked. "You're not an idiot! You were manipulated by incredibly powerful dark magic. And you fought back! You even managed to throw away the diary. Not many people could have done that, Ginny."  
  
Ginny looked embarrassed by the praise. "Well, maybe. Perhaps you could try and remember the same thing about last year. You were manipulated by 'incredibly powerful dark magic.' But you lived, again."  
  
Harry looked down and barely whispered, "Not everyone lived."  
  
Ginny put her hand on his shoulder, and Harry looked up. She looked him in the eye. "Harry, it wasn't your fault. You went to the Department of Mysteries to _save_ Sirius. Your reasons were noble. You can't expect to always make perfect decisions. You made the best decision you could with the information you had. For Merlin's sake, you saved my father using a vision. How could you know the same process wasn't at work with Sirius? You tried to find out if it was true."  
  
"But Hermione was the one..."  
  
"Yes, Hermione had the idea to check out the information. So what? Even if you hadn't tried to check, you still acted from a pure heart_. _Harry, I don't like to think about this, no one does. But you know that more people are going to die before this is all over, don't you?"  
  
Harry looked stricken. She had voiced his worst fear.  
  
"Harry," she said gently, "how do you think I feel with eight other members in my family, so close to the action? The odds on my family coming through this unscathed aren't very good." Her voice shook a bit at the end of this.  
  
Harry looked at her in shock. Her mother had made a similar observation the year before. It never occurred to him that Ginny would be thinking the same thing. _Of course she is, and probably Ron is, too_, he thought_. _"Ginny, I'm so sorry. It must be hard for you."  
  
Her voice grew grim. "And Harry, if someone in my family dies, it won't be your fault, or Dumbledore's fault or anyone's fault except You-Know-Who's. He is the one killing people." Her voice took on a pleading tone. "Please try and remember that, Harry. It's –" she took a deep breath and whispered, "_Voldemort's_ fault."  
  
It was the first time Harry had ever heard Ginny use Voldemort's name, and it moved him somehow. He spoke in the same quiet voice. "Okay, Ginny, I'll try and remember." There was a long silence, as they both let the gloomy thoughts sink in. He looked up at her and said sincerely. "Thanks."  
  
She smiled at him. "Anytime, Harry." She paused, and then suddenly chuckled, releasing some of the tension in the room. "Thanks for saving me from Tom again tonight."  
  
"Anytime." He smiled back. He got up and started to walk toward the door.  
  
"Oh, and Harry?" Harry turned and looked at her. Her voice became serious. "Thank you for saving me from Tom the first time."  
  
Harry nodded, embarrassed. He silently walked through the door and gently closed it behind him.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry looked over the chessboard and made his move. He was certain this would be the game where he finally defeated Ron. Harry sat back, a satisfied look on his face.  
  
Ron considered his next move with an expression of intense concentration. Suddenly his face took on a malevolent look and he made his move with a flourish. "Ha!" he shouted. "Take that!"  
  
Harry was stunned at his sudden change in fortune. He tried to find a way out, but it was obvious the game was lost. He sighed.  
  
"Didn't see that one. Excellent move. I concede," Harry said.  
  
"Thought you had me that time, eh? Another game?"  
  
"Nah. I think I might do a bit of studying," Harry replied.  
  
"Studying?" Ron said suspiciously. "Since when do you study so much during the summer? Is Hermione blackmailing you or something?"  
  
Harry felt embarrassed. "Well, Dumbledore sent me a few books to read during the summer. I didn't have much to do at the Dursleys', so... I've been sort of studying them. No big deal."  
  
Ron looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but then appeared to think better of it. "Er, okay, mate."  
  
Harry felt a flash of irritation. Did Ron need to tiptoe around him? Was he a volcano about to explode or something?  
  
"Look, Ron, they're just some Defense Against the Dark Arts books," he said defensively, his voice rising a bit.  
  
Ron seemed taken aback by his reaction. "I'm not saying anything, mate! Reading is fine. Good." He paused. "Look, Harry, I guess I'm just not certain where your head's at. We haven't really talked about – last month."  
  
Harry's irritation reached another level. "I don't want to talk about that," he said harshly.  
  
"I'm not trying to force it out of you! We're all just concerned," Ron said, trying to defuse the situation.  
  
Harry saw that Ron was not trying to pry, and he forced himself to push down his irritation. He pasted a smile on his face and thought he should give Ron something to make up for his attitude. "Um, Ron, I appreciate all the concern. It's just hard right now. There _are_ some things we need to discuss. Some – things you don't know. When Hermione gets here, we'll sit down and talk. That sound okay?"  
  
Ron breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Harry wasn't going to blow up at him. "All right, mate. Whenever you feel the time is right."  
  
Harry headed up the stairs, his stomach turning. Part of him felt he had just made a big mistake in promising to tell Ron and Hermione about the prophecy. But the other part felt some relief knowing that he had started the process in motion. Keeping it all internalized was eating him up.  
  
He went into his room, picked up his copy of _The Auror's Bible_, and headed back out. Defense study always helped him calm down, and his conversation with Ron was already fading from his mind. He headed out the back door of the Burrow into a beautiful sunny day. He reckoned he would find a nice shady tree, a perfect place to relax.  
  
He had not gone far when he spied Ginny already sitting cross-legged beneath a tree with a book in her lap. Her red hair hung loosely and was tucked behind one ear. Somehow she looked different than usual, with the bright outdoor sunlight casting a fiery glint to her hair. A memory sparked in his head of when he had embraced her the other night. Her hair had been very soft. He continued to look at her for several long seconds.  
  
Suddenly she looked up, sensing he was there. Their eyes locked for a split second, and before Harry could stop himself, he quickly darted his eyes away. _What am I doing? _he thought. _It's only Ginny. _He felt inexplicably nervous. With difficulty, he brought himself back under control. He forced a smile and looked back at her.  
  
"Er, hi, Ginny," he finally said.  
  
She looked a bit puzzled and said, "Hi, Harry." She saw the book in his hands and said a bit too quickly, "Oh! Did you want to read? That looks like a textbook. I suppose you would prefer to study alone. I can go somewhere else if you like."  
  
"Yes. I mean, no!" Harry forced himself to slow down. "I mean, yes, I have been studying alone when I was at the Dursleys', but I don't mind if you're here."  
  
Ginny smiled at him and patted the ground nearby her. "Have a seat, then."  
  
Harry smiled in return and sat down next to her on the cool grass. He opened his book and began reading, and Ginny went back to her book as well. They sat and read in companionable silence.  
  
Some time later, Harry looked over at Ginny curiously. "What's that you're reading, by the way?"  
  
Ginny looked up with a hint of embarrassment. "Well, it's just a novel."  
  
"What's it about?"  
  
"Promise not to laugh."  
  
Harry blinked. _Laugh?_ "I promise."  
  
Her eyes flashed. "If you tell my brothers I will personally hex you into oblivion. Ask Draco about my hexes."  
  
Harry laughed. "Okay, okay, I promise. Now I have to know after all that."  
  
"All right." She had started to blush a bit. "Well, it's about this witch who is traveling the world. She meets a wizard and starts to travel with him, but he turns out to be secretly after a powerful magical artifact that's been in her family for generations. Meanwhile, the man who had a secret love for her decides to finally track her down after years of hiding his feelings from her."  
  
Harry leaned over and looked at the cover. It showed a well-muscled wizard with torn robes embracing a well-endowed witch with long silky hair, who was wearing an elaborate, frilly green robe. As he watched the cover, the wind ruffled their hair as the wizard slowly leaned in to kiss the witch. Harry averted his eyes just before their lips touched.   
  
"Is that a romance novel?" he said incredulously.  
  
Ginny laughed nervously. "Yeah. My roommate gave it to me at the end of last year. To be honest, after what happened at the Ministry, a silly novel kind of sounded good."  
  
Harry felt mischievous. This was too good a chance to pass up. "Do you read these... often?" he asked innocently, with a straight face.  
  
She glared at him. "No, I don't. Besides, it's not that bad."  
  
"If I looked under your bed, would I find a secret stash of romance novels? What's next, Miss Weasley? Romantic interludes at Madam Puddifoot's?" Harry couldn't keep his face straight any longer and began laughing.  
  
"Shut it, Potter." She narrowed her eyes. "You promised not to laugh. Find this funny, do you?" Her face suddenly lit up with a grin – an evil grin. "Right, then. So let's talk about Madam Puddifoot's, since you bring it up."   
  
Harry suddenly stopped laughing. _Oh no, not that, _he thought with a sinking feeling.  
  
"Michael tried to get me to go there once, but I hate that place. But I heard that _someone else_ put in an appearance there."  
  
Harry said nothing, a feeling of dread coming over him. She would be merciless.  
  
"A certain Valentine's Day. With golden cherubs throwing pink confetti. Now, who exactly was it that was in there with his sweetheart?" Ginny's grin seemed to stretch from ear to ear.  
  
Harry closed his eyes, his face burning with embarrassment. He felt as if his hair would erupt in flames at any second.  
  
"Oh, I remember. Wasn't it a certain green-eyed boy who defeated a Dark Lord? Why yes, I believe it was. In fact, I think it was _you,_" Ginny said, obviously enjoying herself immensely.  
  
Harry wondered miserably if he could dig a hole and pull the dirt back over himself.  
  
"So tell me, Harry, which did you like better? The little lace doilies or the frilly bows? They both make for such a _romantic _atmosphere."  
  
Harry knew when he was defeated. _Please don't talk about what happened there between Cho and me, _he thought desperately_. _"Okay, okay, I'm sorry I laughed; _please _stop."  
  
Ginny gave him a more pleasant smile. "_Maybe _I'll stop, but I need a more sincere apology than that."  
  
Harry groaned. "What is it with you Weasleys? Okay, how about this." _I better do this right, _he thought_. _He turned his whole body toward her and took each of her hands in his. He leaned in, looked straight into her eyes, put a serious look on his face, and said in a low, sincere voice, "Ginny, I am very, very sorry I teased you about your book."  
  
Ginny's smile seemed to falter a bit, and she swallowed.  
  
He let go of her hands and smiled. "Was that good enough, Miss Weasley?"  
  
"Um, yes. That was much better." She seemed a bit nervous.  
  
_Probably feels bad for teasing me_, Harry thought. He relaxed, hoping his ordeal was over. "Remind me _never _to tease you ever again. You are deadly. Have you been taking lessons from Fred and George?"  
  
She smirked at him. "What do you think happens when you grow up with six Weasley brothers? Your defenses get rather... honed. But I don't want you to think I can't take it. You can tease me – to a point. I'll let you figure out where that point is."  
  
Harry grinned at her. "Good to know."  
  
Smiling, they went back to reading their books.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks to my beta readers Delylah and DM. Please review!  
  
If you would like e-mail notifications of chapter updates, I've set up a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power. You can also subscribe by sending an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	4. Chapter 3 Birthday Surprises

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 3: Birthday Surprises_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry dashed down the stairs, excited to see Hermione. He met Ron coming down the stairs, and he was amused as Ron's face actually seemed to show a bit of nervousness about the meeting.   
  
As they entered the main room, Harry asked, "How is she getting here, anyway?"  
  
"By car. Dad arranged for a special ministry car to pick her up. Dad's got a lot more pull over there nowadays since the fiasco with You-Know-Who strolling right into the middle of Ministry Central. Dad thinks that Fudge might even be replaced, but I don't pretend to understand the politics over there. Anyway, they know that we're all, uh..." Ron's speech faltered, as he glanced nervously at Harry.  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed. "You're what?" he demanded, glancing between Ron and Ginny, who was standing nearby.  
  
"Well, we're all targets for You-Know-Who because we're friends with you, so they thought it would be safer to send Hermione in a ministry car." Ron said anxiously.  
  
Harry looked angry with this. "I guess that makes sense," he said grudgingly.   
  
Ron looked relieved at Harry's reaction. "Right, mate! With everything going on, the more protection the better, right? Especially with Hermione."  
  
 "Why especially with Hermione, Ron?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.  
  
Ron's face fell and he looked like he was trying to think of a good answer. Harry was amused at his reaction, but then felt some pity, particularly after his bout with teasing the other day. He decided to help Ron out a bit. "Hermione's parents, Ron?"  
  
"Yes! Right, mate. That's what I meant!" Ron looked like a drowning man grasping at a life preserver that had suddenly materialized. "Hermione's parents are muggles! That makes Hermione a _special _target." He shot a superior look at Ginny.  
  
Ginny walked past Harry to sit on the couch to wait. As she passed, she whispered, "spoilsport," and grinned at him.  
  
Harry fought back a grin of his own and then another thought occurred to him. "Come to think of it, what about Hermione's parents? Are they getting some protection?"  
  
"Yeah, dad mentioned that the Ministry set up some special wards around the house, as well a lot of secret alarms. I think there's even some surveillance, but they obviously didn't go too much into detail about all that," Ron replied.  
  
Although Harry didn't like the idea that people were following his friends around, it did give him some comfort to know that there was attention being paid to providing security. He felt a stab of guilt that he hadn't spared much time thinking about the danger that everyone was in.  
  
They all sat down to wait. A short time later, they heard a car pull up to the Burrow. The group got up and walked out the door to greet Hermione. She was exiting a long, black Muggle limousine and several men were pulling her trunk out of the back. _Wow, Hermione is traveling in style, _Harry thought, amused. She looked rather tanned from her trip and practically leaped out of the car with an excited bounce. Crookshanks exited the car as well and sat down on the driveway, licking his paws.  
  
Hermione's face broke into a huge smile as she saw them. Harry got to her first and she gave him a big hug. She spoke quickly, "Harry! It's so good to see you! I'm so happy you're going to be spending your birthday here rather than with those awful Dursleys. Did they treat you dreadfully? You look rather thin. I'm certain Mrs. Weasley is taking care of that, though."   
  
"I'm fine, Hermione, really. It's good to see you, too," said Harry with a big smile of his own. It really was good to have everyone together.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione said excitedly as she embraced him. Harry noticed the hug she gave him lingered a little bit longer. She gave him a small peck on the cheek and looked away quickly.  
  
_Hmm, is she trying to send a message to Ron?_ thought Harry. He glanced over at Ginny and she inclined her head at the two of them, giving him a little wink. She had apparently noticed it, too.  
  
Ron stood stunned, as if he didn't quite know what to make of Hermione's greeting. "Um, hi, Hermione. Did you have a nice trip?"  
  
"Oh, it was quite exciting! I can't wait to tell you all about it, although I think I've probably given you most of the highlights in my letters."  
  
Hermione moved onto Ginny and gave her a hug as well. "Hi, Ginny! The boys haven't driven you mad, have they?"  
  
"Not yet; I think I'm holding my own," said Ginny.  
  
Harry made a snorting sound.  
  
"What?" said Hermione.  
  
"Never mind. Let's just say that Ginny isn't the one being driven to the nut house around here," said Harry.  
  
Ginny gave him a wide-eyed look of innocence. "I don't know what he's talking about."  
  
Hermione looked between the two of them and then looked at Ron, who just shrugged. Ginny quickly broke in. "Come on, Hermione," she said, taking her arm. "Let's get you settled in. Mum's in the house; she wants to say hello, too."  
  
Hermione cast a curious glance at Harry, but let herself be led away. "I'll see you boys in a bit, after I get unpacked, all right?"  
  
Ron appeared to wake up out of his stupor. "Yeah, that sounds good. Chess, Harry?"  
  
"Ron! How about you and Harry take Hermione's trunk up to my room?" Ginny said crossly. Harry was amused by how much she sounded like Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Oh! Er, right, then. Come on, Harry," Ron said, walking to the trunk.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione followed Ginny down the Hall towards Ginny's room. As they approached the Twins' room, she peered through the open door and noticed Harry's trunk sitting on the floor.  
  
"Harry's not staying with Ron this year?" she asked Ginny.  
  
"He's staying in there." Ginny pointed a thumb at the room as they passed. "I think mum thought that Harry could use a little privacy this year."  
  
"I'm certain Harry was grateful for it, although I'm not convinced being alone is really what he needs. But um, the Twins' room? Was _that _really a good idea?" Hermione said, worried.  
  
Ginny laughed. "We all thought the same thing, including Harry. But Fred and George only left one prank for him and Harry managed to dodge that. So it's safe, or at least I think it is. So far there haven't been any... incidents besides the first one."  
  
Hermione opened up her trunk and began to unpack. A second bed had been put in Ginny's room making a tight fit, but they had managed before.  
  
"I cleared out some space in the bottom two drawers," said Ginny.  
  
"Thanks." Hermione began to put away her clothes. "Um, Ginny, what was all that between you and Harry?"  
  
Ginny froze. "What do you mean?" she said cautiously.  
  
"Well, outside you both seemed rather... friendly."  
  
"Hermione! You're joking, right?" Ginny said.  
  
"I just mean that he seemed a bit, well, different than usual. Not that Harry isn't always _different_, but..."  
  
"All right, I know what you mean." Ginny sighed and got up to close the door to her room. She dropped her voice and said, "Hermione, the truth is that I don't know what to think. Harry and I had started to become friends last year and I was happy with that. But the last week, he's been... I don't know what to call it. I wouldn't say he's been flirting, because Harry wouldn't know how to flirt if he had the step-by-step chart from _The_ _Dating Guide for Young Wizards_ in front of him."  
  
Hermione giggled at that. "He is rather hopeless in that area, I agree."  
  
"But the other day, I was out back reading. I glanced up and caught him _looking _at me. I mean, like it had just occurred to him that I'm a girl. Somewhat like how Ron looked with you two years ago." They both laughed at that.  
  
"I'm not certain that's really sunk into Ron even yet," sighed Hermione.  
  
"Oh, Hermione, I think it has," said Ginny, snickering. "But I'll tell you about that later."  
  
"You better!" said Hermione, with a very interested look. "But go ahead."  
  
"Anyway, I thought I was going mad. Harry's never looked at me like that in his life. And when he saw me looking back, he got very nervous. He sat down next to me and we actually talked and had fun together. And it wasn't the first time – we've probably talked more this week than all the previous years combined."  
  
Ginny rubbed her forehead with her hand. "Oh, Hermione, what do I do? I waited so long for him to notice me, before I gave up. I don't want to go back to pining for him. What if it all means nothing?"  
  
"Do you want it to mean something?" Hermione asked.  
  
Ginny looked down and gave a long pause. "You know I do," she said finally.  
  
"Look, Ginny, I've known Harry for a long time. I doubt he's even aware of what he's feeling. Anything he ends up doing is going to be long and drawn out and we both know that Harry doesn't get close to people very easily. Do you want my advice?"  
  
Ginny raised her head and sighed. "Yes. Yes, I do."  
  
"Give Harry some time to sort it out. You must be doing something right if he's this relaxed around you. Let things happen naturally. One thing about Harry is that he's either impenetrably hidden, or he's painfully obvious. There isn't much middle ground." Hermione and Ginny both laughed at that.  
  
Hermione went on. "He wasn't exactly difficult to figure out with Cho, was he? But if Harry does start getting 'obvious,' it's a certain bet that he won't do anything about it until he's forced to. You might have to give him a bit of a subtle push, if you know what I mean. That strategy appeared to work for Cho, at least."  
  
"What did Cho do?" asked Ginny.  
  
Hermione grinned. "Harry would kill me for telling you, but I suppose it doesn't matter anymore. Cho trapped Harry after a DA meeting, probably using the mistletoe."  
  
"She didn't! Um, how did it – er, go?" asked Ginny awkwardly, trying not to appear too interested.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, Harry won't be fondly recalling Cho's kissing abilities." Hermione said, scoffing. "She was crying about Cedric at the same time."  
  
Ginny wrinkled her face up. "If I was kissing Harry, I certainly wouldn't be crying," she said in a low voice. She grimaced, realizing what she said. "Hermione, forget I just said that."  
  
Hermione smiled at her. "I would say to just go easy. No one says you have to sit around waiting for him. In fact, spend time with some other boys. It might help," she said, chuckling.  
  
"You're right. There's no sense in worrying about it. I'll just keep on the same road and see what happens."  
  
"Good. Now tell me about Ron!" Hermione leaned forward.  
  
"Ha! I think my brother may be close to cracking."  
  
"How do you mean?" Hermione said, suddenly looking shy and insecure.  
  
"Hermione, he likes you. A lot," Ginny said confidently.  
  
"Do you really think so?" Hermione appeared to want to be convinced.  
  
"He's been walking around in a daze for weeks. He read your letters over and over when he thought we weren't watching him. I'm telling you, the git fancies you."  
  
"I want to believe it, but... he's just so thick sometimes," said Hermione, with frustration.  
  
"I wish I could help you, but I don't know what it's going to take with my brother. He has the Weasley stubbornness, along with a thick head all his own. He'll probably go about it in the most difficult way possible," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "He'll come around, if you don't kill him first."  
  
"I hope you're right. Thanks, Ginny. It really helps to hear that."  
  
"No problem. I'll keep an eye on him for you."  
  
"And I'll keep an eye on Harry for you and see if I can prod him a bit. For what it's worth, I think you would be so good for Harry. You were able to pull him out of his moods better than anyone last year."  
  
Ginny looked embarrassed. "Well, I don't know about that. Anyway, we'll see." Looking for a change in subject, she said, "So let me tell you about Harry's party tomorrow! Mum really went all out," and she went on to fill Hermione in on all the details.  
  
* * *  
  
Feeling very excited, Harry looked at the clock. There was a little over half an hour to go before the guests were due to arrive at 11am. It was to be the first birthday party of his life and he couldn't wait. Dudley had always had birthday parties, of course, and the Dursleys would banish Harry to his cupboard under the stairs.  
  
Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Hermione were busy in the kitchen cooking an enormous amount of food for the guests. Every so often Mrs. Weasley would order Ron or Mr. Weasley to move a table or otherwise arrange things. Harry had tried to help, but Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear of it.  
  
Sitting on the couch, Harry heard a loud "Pop!" and Fred and George apparated into the room. They were carrying a wrapped gift and a suspicious looking box.  
  
"Happy Birthday, partner!" said Fred.  
  
"We decided to come a little early before the crowds arrive..." said George  
  
"...and make it tricky for us to set up a little birthday entertainment," Fred finished.  
  
An ominous feeling came over Harry. "Er, birthday entertainment?" he asked weakly.  
  
"Not to worry, Harry," said Fred.  
  
"We wouldn't do _anything_ to spoil your big day. Our little Harrykins..." said George.  
  
"His first birthday party!" they said together.  
  
"It kind of chokes us up, frankly, old man," said Fred.  
  
"We felt like we needed to make your party _special,"_ said George  
  
"Indeed, as my good looking brother says. _Very_ special," said Fred.  
  
They grinned at each other and strolled out of the room.  
  
Harry shook his head. There was nothing to do except wait for the inevitable excitement.  
  
Harry watched the clock as it seemed agonizingly slow to reach the appointed hour. Eventually it approached eleven and the guests started to arrive. Harry headed out to the back where several large tables were set up with a large variety of picnic food.  
  
Harry spotted Tonks first. "Happy birthday, Harry!" Tonks said.  
  
"Hi, Tonks!" Harry was delighted to see her. Today she had morphed her hair to be long and brown, with golden streaks.   
  
"Were those Dursleys a bit better this year?" she asked darkly.  
  
"Yes, much better," Harry smiled.  
  
"Well, I'm just glad you could finally get out of that place. It was just so – clean. Unnatural, it was." Tonks made a disgusted face.  
  
Harry grinned at the word, as it was the word that the Dursleys always used with the wizarding world. "Well, enjoy the party, and I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Okay, Harry. That picnic table is looking very inviting," Tonks said, walking away.  
  
Harry was surprised at the number of people showing up. Bill and Charlie Weasley made it in, as well as several of the Aurors that picked up Harry last year. Kingsley Shacklebolt wished him a happy birthday in a deep voice. Mad-Eye Moody growled a greeting as well.  
  
It occurred to Harry that there were a few too many Aurors about to be entirely coincidental, and he thought that there might be some security precautions made for the party.  
  
Harry spotted Neville and Luna across the yard and ran over to greet them. "Neville! Luna! I didn't know you two were coming!"  
  
"Hi, Harry!" said Neville.  
  
"Hello, Harry. Happy birthday," said Luna, in her usual dreamy voice.   
  
"I got an invitation from Mrs. Weasley," said Neville. "I guess after the Ministry last year, she figured we were friends." Neville looked a bit nervous at this.  
  
"Of course we are!" Harry said, looking at the two of them. "I'm glad you're here. I was wondering if she would invite some friends from school."  
  
Harry suddenly remembered his conversation with Dumbledore about Neville. "By the way, happy birthday, Neville."  
  
Neville looked shocked. "How did you know it was my birthday, too?"  
  
Harry definitely didn't want to get into how he knew. "Oh, er, I guess I heard it somewhere."  
  
"Happy birthday, Neville," said Luna, looking curiously at him.  
  
Just then, Harry spotted Remus Lupin entering the yard. "Pardon me, I see someone I want to greet. I'll talk to you two later, then."  
  
"Professor Lupin!" Harry hurried over and hugged his old teacher. Lupin appeared to stiffen in surprise, and then he embraced Harry back warmly. Lupin looked older than the last time Harry had seen him, and Lupin had looked older than his years before that. Harry felt a flash of guilt that he hadn't spent much time thinking about Lupin, who must be suffering over Sirius's death as much as Harry, if not more.  
  
"Hello, Harry!" Lupin smiled broadly, which seemed to make him a bit younger. "Happy birthday to you. Are you well?" he asked the last question as if he expected a serious answer.  
  
"Yes, I'm doing better," Harry said. He looked worriedly at Lupin. "How are you doing?"  
  
"Oh, Harry," he smiled, "some days are better than others. You know how it is." He leaned in a bit. "We're at a half-moon right now, which is always a good time for me."  
  
Harry felt touched that Lupin had given him a serious answer to his question.   
  
"Harry, we have a little bit of private business to discuss today. Would you like to do it now and get it out of the way?" he said.  
  
"Um, all right. In the house?" Harry led Lupin into The Burrow, and they sat down alone in the living room. Lupin appeared to deflate and revert back to his older, worn self.  
  
"Unfortunately, this is unpleasant business, Harry. I'm the executor of Sirius's last will and testament," he said grimly. "I hate having to do this on your birthday, but it really can't wait. There is a lot of pressure to get the will declared null and void."  
  
Harry just sat, stunned. The last thing he wanted to think about was Sirius's will.  
  
Lupin continued. "I've broken it all down for you, but the bottom line is that Sirius divided his estate between you and me. As the last remaining Black, it's quite a – substantial sum."  
  
"I don't care about his money!" Harry said savagely. "You keep it all!"  
  
Lupin smiled gently. "Well, I feel the same way, frankly. I don't particularly want it, either, but there is a good reason to take it."  
  
"What's that?" Harry said. He couldn't imagine any reason that would make him want to take Sirius's money.  
  
"If the will is not executed in accordance with Sirius's wishes, the property will be divided among the closest living relatives."  
  
Harry grew cold. "You mean – "  
  
"Yes, Harry. Relatives such as Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy," he said.  
  
They both grew silent as they let that thought settle between them.  
  
"You said there was some pressure to have the will declared null and void." Harry said.  
  
"Yes. Although Lucius is in Azkaban, his attorneys are attempting to take control of the Black estate. It's not as if he needs the money, but it amuses him that he might be able to seize Sirius's assets."  
  
Harry felt rage rising within him. "Professor, tell me what I need to do. I don't want it, but I'll be bloody well damned if Malfoy will get it!"  
  
Lupin laughed at Harry's language. After a few seconds, Harry broke a smile himself and laughed along with him, breaking the tension.  
  
"My sentiments exactly. Fortunately, Harry, it's pretty well a done deal. You just need to sign this document," he said as he pulled out a bundle of legal-looking sheets of parchment, "and it should be fine. Dumbledore is making certain things go smoothly at the Ministry. It's best if I get these in tomorrow, though."  
  
Lupin produced a quill and Harry signed where it was indicated.  
  
"Right, then. That business is done – I'll just get Bill Weasley to sign as a witness before I leave. I will leave a copy of the will for you to review at your leisure. A new vault will be set up in your name with your share of the assets."  
  
Harry nodded, not really listening.  
  
"Harry, there is one more thing, I hope a bit more pleasant," Lupin said hesitantly.  
  
Harry looked up.  
  
"Sirius knew that he was in danger and might not survive the battles. You know, he cared a great deal for you. He made – a request of me. If anything should happen to him, I would continue to look after you in his place." Lupin looked rather shy at this.  
  
"I would never presume to replace Sirius – I just wanted you to know that I'm here if you need me, and that I'd like to check in on you from time to time."  
  
Harry smiled brilliantly at him. "That would be great, Professor!"   
  
Lupin looked gratified at Harry's reaction. "Well, Harry, if we're to be friends, perhaps it's time to drop that 'Professor' business, considering I haven't been your professor in two years. Please call me Remus."  
  
"Okay." Harry smiled at him.  
  
"Well then, shall we rejoin the party?" Lupin said jovially. "Hagrid sends his birthday regards, by the way. He would be here, but he's on a special mission for Dumbledore."  
  
They both walked out into the bright sunshine. Lupin waved at Harry and headed off to speak with Mr. Weasley. Harry noticed that everyone appeared to be having a good time, as laughter and conversation filled the yard. The mountain of food had been reduced to some extent, although Harry doubted that it would be conquered, even with Ron in attendance. He chuckled at the thought.  
  
As if on cue, Ron came up with a plate of food. "Oi, mate!" he said with a mouthful of food.  
  
Hermione also approached and shot Ron a dirty look. "Ron, don't talk with your mouth full. It's disgusting!"  
  
Ron grinned at her. "I'm a talented bloke. I can chew food and talk at the same time. You just don't appreciate my talents."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes, letting it go. "Are you having fun, Harry?"  
  
"Well, I haven't been out here much yet. Professor Lupin wanted to speak to me," Harry lowered his voice, "about Sirius's estate and his will."  
  
Hermione gave him a sympathetic look.  
  
"It's okay, really. It was a bit of a surprise, but we worked it out. There was a good reason to do it today," Harry said.  
  
"Oh? What was that?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione quickly interceded. "Ron, we don't need to talk about this _now._ Let Harry enjoy his party."  
  
"It was just a question! Harry knows I'm not prying into anything!" Ron said, peeved.  
  
Harry gave a small sigh. Before they could get started, he quickly said, "Look, let's talk about this later, all right? It's all handled. It just needed to be done quickly."  
  
"Okay, mate." Ron looked satisfied with that and Hermione appeared to be happy as well.  
  
Harry left them and loaded up a plate of food for himself. He walked through the yard, speaking to people and catching up on everyone's news. Charlie Weasley said he was still tending Dragons in Romania. He displayed a new burn scar, which caused Harry to wince. He wondered not for the first time what Charlie saw in dragons. His one experience was quite enough for one lifetime.  
  
Bill Weasley still had his long hair and fang earring, which Harry noticed was getting the usual looks of disapproval from his mother. He was just finishing telling Harry a funny story from his work in Egypt when – BOOM!  
   
A cake had blown apart and several large fireworks were spinning over the table. Blinding rays of lights shot out as people ran away from the table in fright and sparks rained down on the table. The Aurors had thrown themselves to the ground with their wands drawn.  
  
The fireworks finally started to slow down a bit. Glowing smoke in the air began to join together into a series of letters, forming a message over the table. It read,  
  
_His nerves are as strong as a cold steel bar_  
_His mind is as bright as the full moon_  
_In cupboards he stays, he's sixteen today_  
_The idol who makes all the girls swoon_  
  
Harry laughed, a bit embarrassed. He applauded along with everyone else, although he noticed the Aurors weren't applauding quite as enthusiastically as the others. He breathed a sigh of relief as the message finally faded away. It could have been much, much worse. The silly poem was tame by Fred and George's standards. He was glad they were on his side. _Come to think of it, something about that poem seemed a little familiar, _he thought, puzzled.  
  
He felt someone touch his arm. He turned around and found Ginny behind him. She was wearing a very pretty white blouse with some sort of elaborate red stitching, and Harry felt a bit flustered. "Er, hello, Ginny."  
  
"Happy Birthday, Harry! What do you think? Charlie brought these clothes back from Romania for me." She proceeded to spin around, giving him a full look. "Apparently it's traditional folk garb for young ladies," she giggled. "I thought I'd try it out."  
  
_She looks really nice,_ he thought. The outfit was very feminine, with light sleeves and a red skirt decorated with flowers. The colors brought out her hair very well. His mouth seemed to go dry for no apparent reason and he found it difficult to speak. "It's very nice, I mean, you look nice. In it."  
  
She beamed at him. "Why, thank you, Harry. It's not something I would wear every day, of course. They might try and put me on the cover of _certain books,_" she said, giving him a laughing smile. "I feel a little silly, to tell you the truth. Charlie said it's one of the less elaborate, more normal looking ones. But it's fun to wear once."   
  
Suddenly the paper plate Harry had been holding burst into flames. Harry quickly snatched his hand away, dropping the flaming plate and food onto the ground. He stomped on the plate, putting it out.  
  
"What happened?" Ginny said, looking around suspiciously. "Fred and George are over there, talking to Bill. If it was them, they don't seem very interested in their prank."  
  
"You know," Harry said curiously, "I felt kind of odd just before it happened. The only time I've felt like that is during accidental magic, but this felt a little different." He then regretted opening his mouth as he realized what had possibly triggered the magic.  
  
"Accidental magic?" Ginny said, raising an eyebrow. She then grinned at him. "You know, Harry, I would have been happy with just being told that I looked nice; you didn't need to set things on fire."  
  
Harry felt his face burning in embarrassment.  
  
"Oh, Harry, I'm just teasing. Don't worry about it; it was probably just the excitement of the fireworks," Ginny said.  
  
Harry wasn't certain about that, but was mercifully spared further thought on the subject when Mr. Weasley stood at the front of the yard and called for everyone's attention.  
  
"Thank you all for coming. First off, let's all give a big 'happy birthday' to Harry!" Everyone gave a huge 'happy birthday' in response. Harry squirmed with embarrassment. "Molly and I also want give special birthday wishes to Harry."  
  
He turned his attention to Harry. "Harry, we want you to know that you'll always have a home here at the Burrow. We love you like one of our own children. We are proud to have you as part of the family." Mrs. Weasley walked over, embraced him, and everyone applauded.  
  
Harry stood stunned, a lump rising in his throat. He fought down a wave of emotion.  
  
"Now, on to important matters." Mr. Weasley continued. "Namely, gifts! Harry, would you do the honors?" He gestured at a table with a large pile of gifts.  
  
Harry, relieved with the distraction, walked over and picked one up off the pile.  
  
"That's from me, mate!" Ron said.  
  
Harry opened it and pulled out a Chuddley Cannons poster, complete with moving pictures of each player. "Thanks, Ron! This is the new poster, isn't it?"  
  
Ron nodded, pleased.  
  
Harry moved through the rest of his gifts. Hermione got him a book, _Secret Quidditch Strategies. _Ginny gave him a framed picture of himself, in a dive catching the Snitch at the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game last year. He grinned as he watched the picture-Harry snatching it away from Malfoy.  
  
Tonks gave him an official Auror Training Guide ("We're not really supposed to let those get out, but you're already an unofficial Auror anyway," she said to Harry's embarrassment). Mad-Eye Moody gave him a well-worn book, _Defeating the Dark Arts_. ("That book has saved my bacon more than once, Potter. Read it," he growled. Harry felt like saluting in return). Remus Lupin gave him a framed picture of Harry and Sirius taken back at Grimmauld place, which he carefully avoided lingering on too long. He would look more closely in private. The Twins gave him an assortment of their products, including a pair of Extendible Ears.  
  
Harry received several more defense books from various people. _Apparently everyone thinks I need the study, _he thought. _I suppose having Voldemort try and kill you several times is a pretty big hint._  
  
Finally when all the gifts were opened, Lupin came up to Harry. "One more to open, Harry. Dumbledore gave me this to give to you."  
  
He handed Harry a package, wrapped in a blue wrapping paper decorated with little white beards. He carefully opened the package and held up a shallow stone basin, decorated with runes along the edge. A small instruction pamphlet was included as well. It looked a lot like Dumbledore's Pensieve, except the shape was slightly different.  
  
Harry looked up and noticed everyone staring at him in shock.  
  
"What?" Harry said, puzzled. "This is a Pensieve, right?"  
  
Lupin appeared as shocked as everyone else. "Yes, Harry, that's a Pensieve. I'm not certain you realize what you're holding. Pensieves are very, very rare and valuable objects. You can't even buy them, really. They are normally only passed down within families. Only the greatest magicsmiths can make them and it takes a lifetime of work. Most people have never even seen one, much less used one. I knew Dumbledore has one, of course, but I can't even imagine where Dumbledore got another one."  
  
"Er, why did he give me one?" Harry said, embarrassed.  
  
"Dumbledore usually has a purpose for what he does. He must have a good reason," Lupin said.  
  
Harry looked closer in the wrapping. "Oh wait, here's a note."  
  
_Dear Harry,_  
  
_Happy birthday! I have found my Pensieve to be quite valuable in helping to calm my thoughts and emotions. Please take advantage of yours. When you return to school, I would be happy to keep it safe for you._  
  
_All My Best,_  
  
_Albus Dumbledore_  
  
_P.S. They also make for quite good party entertainment._  
  
The message didn't seem private, so Harry read it out loud to everyone. "What did he mean that they make for good party entertainment?"  
  
Lupin laughed. "That's Dumbledore for you. I have no idea – I don't get invited to those sort of parties."  
  
Hermione spoke up. "I know! You can put a memory into the Pensieve and share it with others, right? How about if we take turns sharing funny or exciting memories?"  
  
An excited murmur went up from everyone. It appeared very few had ever used a Pensieve and everyone wanted to try it.  
  
"Well, what do you think, Harry? It's your gift," said Lupin.  
  
"All right by me. It sounds like fun and it would help me practice using it," replied Harry.  
  
"Perhaps I could go first," said Lupin. "I'm certain I have a few memories Harry might like to see. How about it, Harry? I think I have a few amusing incidents with the Marauders that might be entertaining."  
  
Harry felt excited, but then became apprehensive. The last time he had seen his father in the Pensieve, he'd seen things he really hadn't wanted to know. And to see Sirius...  
  
Lupin noticed his hesitation and smiled at him. He spoke low so that only Harry could hear. "Don't worry, Harry, I won't show any memories where your dad acted like a prat. And I think it might do both of us some good to see Sirius... in better days. But it's up to you. You don't have to if you don't want to. I'll quite understand if you want to pass."  
  
Harry hesitated and then nodded his approval. Lupin took the Pensieve from him and cleared out a space in the middle of the table. "I think we'll probably need to take turns with each memory; only so many people can fit around the Pensieve. How about Harry and his friends first?"  
  
Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna walked over and stood with Harry around the Pensieve. They looked a bit nervous, having never used one before.  
  
"Hmm. I think I might have a good one." Lupin suddenly lit up with a very mischievous look on his face. He smirked at the memory and brought out his wand. "Er, Harry, let me see that pamphlet. It's been some time since I've done this."  
  
He skimmed through the pamphlet quickly. "I think I'm ready." He held his wand to his temple and withdrew silvery, fine threads of thought. He gently deposited them into the basin. He touched his wand to the swirling, cloudy substance, and it began to swirl very fast. The surface settled and became a clear window. Harry could see a room below the surface of the Pensieve and could almost make out four figures.  
  
"Right, then. Everyone bring your face down to the Pensieve's window and enter the memory," Lupin said.  
  
Harry and his friends leaned down next to Lupin and they all pierced the window of the Pensieve. He felt himself pitch forward into an icy, black coldness. He landed on his feet in front of a very young James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. The flaming plate is dedicated to my reviewer who requested, "Could we have some accidental magic, and could it be really, really embarrassing?" I hope this was embarrassing enough for you. Now, see what happens when you review? I listen! :-)_  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	5. Chapter 4 The Marauders

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 4: The Marauders_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry blinked his eyes and struggled to adjust to the dim light of the Hogwart's corridor in the Pensieve, a striking difference compared to the bright sunshine of the Weasley's yard. Standing next to Harry were Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna and the older Lupin, each of whom were looking about in fascination. James, the young Lupin and Peter were standing in the shadows as Sirius walked up to them.  
  
"Whoa," said Ron loudly.  
  
"Ron, shush!" said Hermione.  
  
"Why? They can't hear us. It's a memory!"  
  
Hermione glared at him. "I want to hear, shush!"  
  
Harry smiled and turned his attention to the Marauders. Sirius had placed a large box on the floor, and James was opening it up.  
  
"I've got them. They're brilliant. This is going to be bloody hilarious," said Sirius, smirking.  
  
Reaching into the box, James pulled out a long object that resembled a green serpent. It hung limply from his hand as he inspected it critically. "It looks good. How do you make it work?"  
  
"Once you get them in position, you wave your wand at them and say, 'Serpent Mischief!' Then they slither about the room chasing anything that moves. I even made some winged ones that fly!" Sirius said proudly. "They try to herd everyone toward the entrance."  
  
James grinned mischievously. "Brilliant, indeed. The Slytherins should thank us for this. They love snakes, right?"  
  
Laughing sycophantically, Peter looked back and forth between James and Sirius. Harry felt a chill seeing Peter with the others.  
  
Young Lupin frowned disapprovingly. "They're not going to hurt anyone, right? Remember what happened last time... that sheet-shortening hex got a bit out of control."  
  
"Relax, Moony. No worries. I made them so they'll only hover close to their victim but not actually touch them. Just chase them," said Sirius. Young Lupin seemed satisfied with that.  
  
"All right, here's the plan," said James. "There should be a good crowd in the common room doing their homework. Wormtail, you'll take the box outside. Levitate the box, set them off, and dump them down the common room chimney. After you do the deed, meet us outside the Slytherin corridor. The stampede of Slytherins should be a sight to behold." He chortled gleefully.  
  
"Everyone ready? Excellent. Marauder's Map!" James said, holding out his hand. Sirius slapped the map into his hand, like a nurse handing the surgeon a scalpel. James touched the map with his wand and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The map activated, showing the layout of Hogwarts.  
  
"All right, Wormtail. The coast is clear. Head on out," James said, like a general commanding his troops.  
  
Peter grinned at him and picked up the box. Suddenly his face fell. "Uh, what was the spell again?" he asked.  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes at him. "Serpent Mischief."  
  
"Oh, yes. All right." Peter headed off down the corridor to begin his mission.  
  
"Come on, let's go!" said James, checking the map. "Everything looks clear."  
  
Harry and the group followed them as they sneaked through the Hogwarts corridors toward the Slytherin part of castle. They wound down several staircases, and the stone began to appear damp as they descended below the level of the lake.  
  
They took up position around the corner from the Slytherin door, out of sight. They waited, the three of them snickering at intervals. Every so often James would sneak a look at the map to make certain no one was coming up to catch them.  
  
Harry was struck by how young and innocent they appeared.  
  
Abruptly the Slytherin door slid open and out ran a livid teacher being chased by a large quantity of Sirius's serpents. His face was pinched in anger as he waved his arms around violently trying to beat off the flying ones. Harry had never seen him before; the man the was tall and slender, with short black hair, dark eyes and a thin moustache.  
  
"Great Merlin! It's Floggman! How did he find out so fast?" said James, panicked.  
  
Older Lupin broke in. "Professor Floggman was the head of Slytherin at that time. He was a lot like Professor Snape is now, actually," he said to the group. He was obviously enjoying the memory immensely.  
  
"Oh no. You don't suppose –" said Sirius, his hands tensely pressing on the side of his head.  
  
Young Lupin sighed. "He put the serpents in the wrong chimney."  
  
"That idiot!" said James, with exasperation. "He must have put it right in Floggman's fireplace in his quarters! Now what?"  
  
The serpent spell appeared to be wearing off. The three boys started running down the corridor away from Floggman. "He's going to head outside! We need to find Wormtail first," said Sirius.  
  
They stopped and checked the map. "Bloody hell, Wormtail is heading right for him," said James, running his fingers through his hair.  
  
"Leave that to me," said Sirius, with a grin. "I'll distract Floggman, you get Wormtail. Somehow we need to get up to our beds before Floggman thinks to check if we're out of the tower. Let's meet back at the Gryffindor portrait hole."  
  
James gave him a thumbs-up. Sirius transformed into his dog form and took off.  
  
Harry glanced at Neville and Luna, thinking that they would be surprised by the transformation. He thought he better fill them in. "Sirius was a secret Animagus. So was my father, actually," he said with pride.  
  
James and Young Lupin were checking the map. Harry could see Floggman and Sirius on the map moving rapidly down an adjacent corridor, away from Peter and their position.  
  
"Okay, Moony, lets go," said James.  
  
They ran down the corridor and soon met up with Peter. "How was it?" he asked excitedly.  
  
"Well, it might have been brilliant – if you had put the serpents in the right chimney," James said coldly.  
  
Peter looked stunned. "What?"  
  
"You put it in Floggman's chimney!" said James angrily.  
  
"Oh, er, sorry," Peter said lamely.  
  
"We'll talk about it later. We need to get back to our dorm!" James checked the map again. "Looks like Padfoot got rid of Floggman. He's all the way on the other side of the castle. Padfoot's heading back to the portrait hole."  
  
They ran down the corridor and up several flights of stairs, heading to the Gryffindor tower. They turned the corner and then abruptly threw themselves backward.  
  
"Blimey," said James anxiously, "Floggman must have already called Stirling. He's waiting at the portrait hole!"  
  
"He couldn't have searched the dorms already. He must be waiting for whoever comes back," said Young Lupin.  
  
Old Lupin narrated again. "Stirling was the Gryffindor head of house," he said, grinning.  
  
Padfoot came bounding up to them and transformed back into Sirius. "Mission accomplished. I grabbed his wand in my mouth, and he chased me all over the castle," he said, laughing.  
  
"Well, don't laugh yet. Stirling is guarding the hole," said James. Sirius's face fell. "We need a diversion. Do you have any serpents left?"  
  
"Well, not really. I have some rejects and prototypes..." said Sirius uncertainly.  
  
"Get them! Better than nothing!" said James.  
  
"They won't totally work as expected," said Sirius, "but I don't see a lot of other options. I stuck them in the secret storeroom. Back in a minute." He ran down the corridor. The three left looked nervously at each other, waiting for Sirius to return. James kept a watch on the Marauder's Map.  
  
Sirius soon returned with another box. "I can't vouch for these –"  
  
James cut him off impatiently. "Enough with the warnings. Leave them here, and let's circle around to the other side."  
  
They headed away from the portrait hole, winding through several other passageways until they came around to the other end of the corridor. Sirius peeked around the corner. "Still there. Time for action."  
  
He waved his wand toward the other end of the corridor and whispered, "Serpent Mischief!"  
  
Suddenly a large explosion came from the direction of the serpents. Stirling looked startled and ran down the hall to investigate. James appeared about to move, when Stirling came stumbling back. Several snakes seemed to be trying to herd him back down the other direction, but they kept wrapping around his legs, tripping him. Harry flinched as Stirling fell particularly hard to the stone floor.  
  
Some flying serpents flew in circles around his head at great speed, then would veer off and start hitting the walls over and over with a loud WHAP-WHAP, before spinning about his head once again.  
  
Harry stared in disbelief. The scene was utter pandemonium. The quartet appeared to agree as they stared open-mouthed at Stirling flailing his arms in panic.  
  
Finally, Stirling must have felt he needed help, and he started sprinting down the corridor away from the Marauders, berserk serpents attacking all the way.  
  
"Bloody hell, we're in trouble if we don't get up there. Now's our chance. Let's move!" said James, his voice shaking a bit.  
  
They ran to the portrait hole. Sirius hissed the password. "Haggis and Eggs!" The portrait swung open, as the fat lady gave them a very disapproving look. Sirius flashed her a dazzling grin with a sly wink, and her disapproval melted. "Mr. Black, you are a rogue. Get upstairs," she said, blushing.  
  
There were still quite a number of students doing homework, although some appeared to be getting ready to turn in. The Marauders walked casually along the side of the large room, trying not to attract attention. No one appeared to notice the group come in. When they reached the dorm stairs, they switched to a dead run, with Harry and the others following closely behind. They threw open the door of their dorm room, and the four split to their respective beds.  
  
They pulled out pajamas and almost tore off their clothes getting changed. Harry noticed with amusement that the girls averted their eyes at this display, although he could have sworn he saw a little peeking. They leapt into their beds and snapped closed the curtains. A silence descended over the room, but Harry could hear excited breathing coming from the beds.  
  
Sirius laughed quietly from his bed. "It didn't quite go off as planned, but that was bloody brilliant."  
  
"Another successful night for the Marauders," said James, snickering back. "Good night, Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail."  
  
A chorus of good nights echoed through the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry felt himself swooping up through the icy blackness, flipping in mid-air, and landing on his feet back at the Burrow. He noticed the others shaking themselves similarly as they also found themselves back.  
  
"Whoa," said Ron, "That was brilliant. Harry, if I ever give a party, you have to bring that thing."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Ron, Pensieves are not _toys_," she said loftily.  
  
"It was your idea!" Ron said indignantly.  
  
Hermione glared at him. "It _was_ very exciting visiting Professor Lupin's memory, however." She turned to Harry and said in a low voice, "All right, Harry?"  
  
Harry forced a smile at Hermione, not really knowing what he was feeling. "I'm fine," he said.  
  
The truth was that Harry felt a mix of emotions. He felt exhilarated from the experience of seeing his father and Sirius in action, and he had to admit he was very entertained by their antics. Yet he also felt a deep sadness from having seen them so innocent and carefree. He had known that all four of them had ended up with sad fates, but somehow seeing them like this really brought home the tragedy of the Marauders. His father's early death, Sirius's stay at Azkaban and subsequent death, Lupin's lonely life and even Peter Pettigrew's fate.  
  
"Thank you, Professor – er, Remus, I mean," said Harry to Lupin. Using his first name felt foreign to him. "That was great."  
  
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Harry. I know I did," said Lupin with a huge grin. Seeing the look of happy nostalgia on his face made Harry think that whatever he felt about the experience was worth it.  
  
They all spent the rest of the afternoon sharing memories, some funny (the Twins relived their escape from Umbridge, by popular demand), and some exciting (Mad-Eye Moody shared a hair-raising battle with a group of Death Eaters, when he single handedly captured five of them).  
  
Finally the party started to wind down a bit. Everyone appeared a bit drained from all the experiences, but no one wanted it to end.  
  
"Dumbledore was right. The Pensieve does make for good party entertainment," said Lupin. "Tiring, though." There was a general murmur of agreement.  
  
"How about you, Harry? You haven't shared a memory. Perhaps we could wrap this up with you," said Lupin.  
  
Harry felt a bit shy. "Well, I don't know if I have any interesting memories."  
  
"You're joking, right mate?" said Ron. "If anyone has memories, it's you."  
  
"Ron!" said Hermione, horrified.  
  
"Uh, er, well, you know what I mean, Harry. I didn't mean all of your memories were good ones," said Ron uncomfortably.  
  
Harry sighed. "It's all right, Ron."  
  
Suddenly Harry was tired of everyone treading softly around his life. He searched his memory for an experience he might share, and it occurred to him that this was a good opportunity to finally show everyone that there was more luck involved in his life than people thought. Before he could change his mind, he said quickly, "Listen, would anyone be interested in seeing, uh, what happened with the Philosopher's Stone? My first year?"  
  
There was a stunned silence. "You're not serious!" said Fred and George together, loudly. Everyone laughed, breaking the silence that had ensued.  
  
"Are you certain, dear?" said Molly, with a worried expression.  
  
"It's fine, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry, smiling.  
  
"Harry, I think it's safe to say that many of us here would give quite a bit to see that memory, if you're of a mind to share it," said Lupin. "It's not everyday that someone can experience surviving You-Know-Who. I daresay the Aurors in attendance would particularly like to see it," he said, grinning.  
  
Harry was already having second thoughts about his reckless promise to share the memory, but was determined to see it through. He was tired of everyone thinking he was such a hero. _It's about time people knew the truth, _he thought.  
  
He walked over next to Lupin and the Pensieve. "What do I need to do?"  
  
"It's pretty simple, Harry. Concentrate on an image of the time that you wish the memory to start. Put your wand up to your temple and draw it out in a straight line toward the basin. That will extract the memory into the Pensieve."  
  
Harry thought back to the beginning of the events, when they found Fluffy asleep. "Okay, I'm ready." He lifted his wand to his temple, extracted a fine, silvery thread and placed it into the basin. "Are those really my memories?" He asked.  
  
"It's a bit more complicated than that, Harry, " Lupin replied. "It's still in your head, of course, otherwise you wouldn't be able to remember it right now. But you've put a magical essence of them into the Pensieve."  
  
"Right then. Shall we start with Harry's friends? And perhaps I will wait and give the honor of the first viewing to our distinguished Auror veteran, Alastor Moody." He nodded at Moody.  
  
Mad-Eye Moody looked pleased at Lupin, and his eyeball spun jauntily. "Thank you, Remus. Don't mind if I do. I'm curious to see it."  
  
They all plunged into the memory. Harry had forgotten how frightening the whole business had been. Time had faded the memory in his own mind, but the Pensieve brought the whole business alive again. Harry narrated a few parts where he could offer some background, but mostly let the events unfold. Some time later, they returned to reality after viewing the fearsome events.  
  
"Wow! It's weird to see myself doing that chess game," said Ron, excited.  
  
"Yes, and it's very interesting to finally see first-hand what happened after Harry left us," said Hermione. "You were brilliant, Harry."  
  
The reactions of the others were varied. Ginny had a guarded expression, but kept sneaking looks at Harry. Luna looked serene, as if fighting Voldemort were an everyday occurrence. Neville, on the other hand, looked at Harry with undisguised awe. Harry squirmed under the attention. _Don't they see it was luck?_ he thought.  
  
"Who's next? I think I'll go this time," said Lupin with a smile. The next group went up to the Pensieve and began viewing the memory. As each group went, Harry went along to provide the minor commentary. It was difficult to speak at the key times, as everyone kept giving him looks of wonder, causing Harry to burn with embarrassment.  
  
Finally everyone had a turn to view the memory. Most everyone seemed stunned at the memory of 11-year-old Harry fighting off Voldemort.  
  
"Oh, Harry, that must have been so frightening for you!" said Mrs. Weasley. "And Ron! Don't you dare put yourself in danger like that again!" Ron avoided her eyes, perhaps hoping that the fact that he had just done so last month wouldn't cross her mind.  
  
"That was some fine work, Potter," said Moody, "and Weasley and Granger as well." Everyone nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well, let's face it, I was pretty lucky," said Harry modestly.  
  
"Luck, Potter? Let me speak to you for a second, boy. Come over here." Moody gestured toward a private corner of the yard. He started walking away, and Harry followed.  
  
Moody turned toward Harry, his magical eye appearing to look straight through him. "Potter, let me explain some facts of life to you. Every battle has an element of luck – good and bad. But the reason you survived wasn't luck. Do you know why you survived?"  
  
Harry shook his head.  
  
"You survived because you kept your head. You were afraid, but you didn't let fear rule over you. You did what you had to do," growled Moody in a low voice.  
  
"But if I hadn't had that protection..." said Harry.  
  
"You had a weapon, Potter. How many battles would I survive if I didn't have my wand? We all have a set of assets that we take into battle. Even if you have a weapon in a fight, you still have to have the guts and courage to use that weapon. Again, Potter, you kept your head. You used what you had to your advantage."  
  
Moody continued. "Let me tell you what You-Know-Who's greatest weapon is. It's fear, Potter. Plain and simple. Ninety-five percent of his job is done if everyone fears him. People cower and don't fight back. But you didn't cower. You did what you had to do. Luck had nothing to do with your fighting back."  
  
Harry just nodded, not knowing what to say. His thoughts were a jumbled mess.  
  
"I'm not just blowing smoke at you, Potter. I meant what I said. Well done. There are plenty of adult Aurors that would have folded in the face of – _that_." Moody paused, letting Harry think about his words.  
  
"Well, come on, boy. Let's get back to the party. Remember what I said."  
  
"Thank you, sir. I will remember," said Harry respectfully.  
  
They made their way back to the group. Everyone appeared to be gathering belongings, preparing to leave. Harry walked around thanking everyone for coming and for his gifts.  
  
"No, thank _you_, Harry. I think it's safe to say this is one of the best parties I've ever been to," said Tonks enthusiastically. "Take care of yourself this year, all right?"  
  
Harry nodded his appreciation. He thanked Neville and Luna and promised to find them on the Hogwarts Express. Finally, it was down to the Weasleys and Hermione.  
  
Harry dropped into a chair, exhausted. "Wow," he said.  
  
Everyone seemed to feel the same way. "Indeed. That was some day, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, sitting next to him.  
  
"Thank you so much for all this," as Harry gestured about the yard.  
  
"Harry, I meant what I said. You are like a son to us. We're proud that your first birthday party could be here with us."  
  
Harry just flushed, unable to speak. Mr. Weasley smiled at him and appeared to take that as an answer. He clapped Harry on the shoulder and wandered over to help Mrs. Weasley.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione walked along a path, not far from the Burrow, her mind buzzing from all the experiences they had seen in the Pensieve. After she helped clean up after the party, she had felt like she needed a walk to clear her head. It was very late in the afternoon, and the sun was moving lazily toward the horizon.  
  
Her thoughts drifted to Harry. She was happy that he seemed to have such a good time at his birthday party. He always seemed so surprised when he saw evidence that people cared about him. Despite his happiness today, she could tell during the week that he was deeply troubled. She was careful not to press him too hard, recalling all too well his snapping at them last year.  
  
_Harry is too alone. He needs something that Ron or I can't give him_, she thought. Hermione knew that she and Ron were important to Harry, but she also knew that there were parts of Harry that were closed off and would never be accessible to them. Harry needed someone he could love and trust. She hoped that Ginny's instincts were right and Harry was showing some interest. Hermione thought that Ginny would be good for him, but was well aware that trying to predict Harry was risky business.  
  
Hermione considered Harry's love interest of the previous year. She was of two minds about Cho. On the one hand, she was glad that Harry had found the time and attention to be interested in _someone_. On the other hand, she didn't think much of his choice.  
  
It wasn't that Cho was a bad person, but Harry had chosen her for the wrong reasons. She had a pretty face, and Harry had fallen for her without considering whether she had the right personality and temperament for him. Inevitably, the relationship had failed once Harry looked past the beauty and realized a real person was behind it, a person that was simply wrong for him. _Not to mention that she was still pining for Cedric_, Hermione thought, rolling her eyes.  
  
She stopped, looking at the bright orange and angry red sky as the sun began to set. It was a gorgeous sunset tonight. She idly wished that she had someone with her to share the view.  
  
_I certainly wouldn't just fall for the first attractive face that came along, I would be practical about it_, Hermione thought loftily. Yet, even as the thought came, her self-honesty insisted that she inspect that statement. Viktor wasn't really a boyfriend, even though he had made it clear that he wanted more than she could give. Viktor would certainly be the practical choice, wouldn't he? Yet her heart hadn't agreed.  
  
Her heart had committed her to another, less practical, choice.  
  
Hermione sighed. Why did she love Ron? They bickered far too much. He was completely oblivious to hurting her feelings. He was somewhat attractive, tall and cute, but not overwhelmingly so.  
  
She thought that ultimately the reason she loved Ron was that he made her laugh. Growing up as an only child, and as an extremely bright child, she had felt isolated from others her age. Her seriousness only served to isolate her further, and the isolation only made her more serious. She thought that would all change when she found out she was a witch. But she was bitterly disappointed when she discovered that magical schools were just like muggle schools, and the same isolation descended upon her.  
  
The happiest year of her life was her first year, when Harry and Ron had become her best friends, the first real friends of her life. She knew that she had flaws, and that she took many things too seriously. She still did. But Harry and Ron accepted her for who she was.  
  
She stopped and watched the sun creep below the horizon, the last rays of the day giving way to night. The sultry night air felt good as she started walking again.  
  
But what of Harry? He would certainly be a practicalchoice, on a certain level. On the other hand, nothing about Harry was simple, and _practical _could never describe anything having to do with him. Half the school already expected her and Harry to go out together at some point, and the other half probably thought that she had already tried and failed. _Like I'm not good enough, _she thought bitterly.  
  
She stopped in front of the lake, gazing over the perfectly still, mirror surface. She could see trees from the opposite bank reflecting on the surface, and the first stars were starting to show in the night sky.  
  
Why not Harry? What more could a girl want? Harry was smart, loyal, brave, powerful – and if she was honest with herself – good looking, in a scruffy way. And to top it off, he was one of her two best friends.  
  
But feelings were feelings, and she simply didn't feel that way about him. Harry was the brother that she never had. She suspected that it was his seriousness that doomed any stronger feelings. Harry's seriousness fed her own seriousness. They could have fun together, but when they spent too much time together alone, they closed in on themselves. It was difficult to be silly around Harry the way she could be silly around Ron.  
  
Ron made her laugh, and the joy in that was indescribable. Ron was wonderful in his own way, and when his protectiveness came out (as when Draco made snide comments), it made her heart pound with excitement.  
   
But what did he actually feel about her? The irony about Ron was that he was so transparent in how he felt about things. But in this one important area, she couldn't get a read on him. Certainly he seemed to be jealous of Viktor. And he seemed to _look _at her when he thought she wasn't looking. But if he fancied her, why didn't he do anything about it? What was he waiting for?  
  
She supposed she could make the first move. But something held her back. Her friendship with Ron was important to her, and beyond that, she knew that she and Ron needed to be there for Harry. It wasn't fair to Harry to burden him with their problems if things didn't work out.  
  
No, her instinct was that Ron needed to sort out his own feelings, on his own timetable. If she tried to force him out into the open, she didn't know if it would go well. She needed to wait – and hope that he would ultimately find feelings for her.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry woke up very early and quickly dressed. He sneaked down the Weasley stairs, which creaked noisily even with his careful tiptoeing. The house was very quiet, as everyone was sleeping in after the events of the previous day.  
  
He wrote a note saying that he'd decided to take a morning hike, which was only partially the truth. He really wanted to try his Pensieve in private. He felt that if he was going to explore his memories, he wanted to be away from everyone. Somehow even doing it in the privacy of his room at the Burrow wasn't enough.  
  
He hurriedly put together some bread and jam to munch on, and headed out of the house, down a path that ran behind the Burrow. He knew that special wards were set up around the area, and it was probably even under surveillance. He was careful not to go too far, but the lure of a quiet spot was strong.  
  
He hiked up a hill covered with thick trees. The tops of the trees provided a shady canopy where the morning sun, already creating a sweltering summer heat, occasionally broke through with fans of streaming sunlight. The trees opened into a glade, which provided a vantage point overlooking a green valley. It was a perfectly peaceful, private spot in which to work.  
  
Harry put down a satchel he'd been carrying and took out his Pensieve and the instruction pamphlet. He began reading it and was surprised by how sophisticated the Pensieve really was. It allowed one to visit memories, but the memories were really an anchor. The Pensieve combined the thoughts of the user and the shadows of the actual events out of time. _That explains why the memories are so detailed, even showing things that are out of the person's immediate attention, _Harry thought.  
  
The Pensieve could also operate in several different ways. One could enter the memory and get a full immersive experience, or the Pensieve could show the memory floating above its surface, as Dumbledore had shown with the prophecy last year. It also had some advanced ways of operating that allowed finding associations and links between thoughts. That looked fairly complex, so Harry focused on the memory aspect of the Pensieve.  
  
Harry thought that the 'floating mode' might be something to try. He hadn't heard the prophecy word-for-word since Dumbledore had shown it to him. Reading the pamphlet, he brought his wand to his temple, and extracted a fine, silvery thread of his memory of the Prophecy and deposited it into the basin. He gazed with fascination at the cloudy substance which appeared to be neither liquid nor gas.  
  
He waved his wand and gave the incantation. Dumbledore rose out of the substance, including Dumbledore's Pensieve, which showed Trelawney floating above it. Harry watched with cold chills running down his spine as she repeated the Prophecy. He let the words sink in once again as the memory ended. It didn't sound any better hearing it the second time. If anything, it sounded worse.  
  
He felt a new wave of frustration rising in him. _Why? Why am I, of all people, responsible for defeating him?_ He glared at the Pensieve. _So you're supposed to calm my thoughts and emotions? Not working too well so far, _he thought angrily.He pulled the thought back from the basin and returned it to his head.  
  
To calm himself more than anything, he started reading the pamphlet further. He stopped, stunned, as he read a section.  
  
_The Pensieve does not necessarily need strong memories in order to operate. Weak memories, or even memories that you believe yourself to have, may also be enough to pull the events out of time. The stronger the memory, the better the results, but often very good results can occur from weak memories. For example, many people can find memories of their early childhood, even from birth. In order to find these memories, concentrate on the time of the event, the people within it, or the location. If there are many events existing in time that match, the Pensieve may lock into one at random. These can often be very stimulating experiences._  
  
Harry simultaneously felt fear and excitement. Could he possibly see his parents before they died? Dare he try? He hesitated. He felt an ocean of feelings wash over him, tossing his mind to and fro. What if it didn't work? But if it did, he could see them again with himself, living as a normal family the way he always wanted. He had precious few pictures of that, and even wizard pictures were a pale imitation of the detail that the Pensieve provided.  
  
Feeling reckless, he consulted the pamphlet again. He started to raise his wand to his temple, and then hesitated. _Do I really want to do this?_ he thought. _Why am I hesitating?_ Not totally understanding the conflicts in his mind, he concentrated on the time of his babyhood. He imagined himself with his parents, as they looked in his photographs. He pulled out a sliver of thought from his temple, much thinner than normal. He gently placed it into the basin.  
  
He watched the thought swirl within the Pensieve, feeling uneasy. He touched his wand to the cloudy substance, which began to swirl rapidly. The window into the memory appeared, and he slowly peered in. He could just make out three figures, two large and one very small. Taking a deep breath, he plunged himself into the window.  
  
He felt the now-familiar icy, black tumbling and came to his feet in a small room. It was decorated with little children's scenes. They were unfamiliar to Harry, but looked like they might be from wizard children's books. They seemed to feature children holding wands and having wonderful adventures.  
  
He turned and saw his parents. They were gazing down at a crib with an expression of happiness on their faces. They were being very quiet and every so often would look up and smile at each other. Suddenly he heard a cry from the crib, and James and Lily's faces fell. They looked at each other again and groaned.  
  
"Damn! He was almost asleep!" James said.  
  
"James! Watch your language!" Lily said, chuckling a bit.  
  
Baby Harry began crying even louder.  
  
"See what you did? There, there, come here. Did Daddy say a bad word?" Lily reached down and picked up the baby, cradling him in her arms. "Shhhhh, Mummy's here."  
  
James reached over and stroked baby-Harry's forehead. "And Daddy's here, too. You must be tired... right?" Baby-Harry cried even louder. "Guess not," James grinned.  
  
Harry watched the scene play out. He was mesmerized watching his baby self be soothed by his mother and father. He felt a huge lump come up in his throat and fought back tears as he watched the scene. Yet, even as he fought the tears, he felt oddly comforted. Here was unconditional love for_ him_. They had loved him and cared for him. Even if he couldn't remember this scene, it was part of him, and that could never be taken away. Not even Voldemort could ever take it away.  
  
After a long while, baby-Harry finally started to calm down a bit. Lily gently placed him back in the crib, putting a very warm-looking hand-knit blanket over him. Harry walked over and peeked in. It held several small stuffed animals and a mobile was hung over the crib. James reached over and touched his wand to the mobile, which had little stars hanging from arms. It began to play a soothing melody, the stars turning in a circle above the baby's head. Baby-Harry pulled his blanket closer, watching the stars turn to the music. He appeared to be growing sleepy. The tune sounded oddly familiar to Harry, and he found himself growing sleepy as well from it.  
  
He looked back to his parents, and the look of pride they were giving the baby threatened to choke Harry up again. As the baby fell asleep, Harry felt himself pulled out of the Pensieve, and then he landed in the glade, sitting on the ground once again.  
  
Harry closed his eyes and just sat for several minutes playing the scene over and over again in his mind. His face felt the morning sun, which had climbed beyond the shade of the trees to shine on him while he had been in the Pensieve. The warmth of the sun seemed to remind him of the warmth of the blanket that had surrounded the baby. He felt a tear forming at his eyes, but still didn't move.  
  
Finally he opened his eyes and swiped at the tear that almost fell. He took a deep breath and then slowly blew out the air, regaining control over himself. _That's enough memories for now, _he thought. He returned the memory from the Pensieve to his temple, put his Pensieve and the pamphlet back in his satchel, and started back.  
  
As he walked along the path, Harry felt disturbed by a feeling of almost desperate want that filled him to return to his parent's house.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM._  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	6. Chapter 5 Reflections in Eight Mirrors

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 5: Reflections in Eight Mirrors_

  
  
_A/N: This chapter is a bit different. Reviewer ldomingo11 liked the Hermione part in the last chapter, and suggested a chapter of thoughts about Harry after the party from various points of view. I thought her idea sounded interesting, and here is the result. Since this is quite experimental, I would appreciate reviews more than usual, even if it's just to say which parts you liked, and which parts you didn't. :) As a bonus, the girl who has a crush on Harry is revealed at the end. That part was actually an outtake from a future chapter, but it works well here._  
  
* * *  
  
Remus Lupin knew how cruel life could be.  
  
He was sitting alone in Grimmauld Place, ostensibly reading some reports from members of the Order of the Phoenix, but his mind was not really on his duties. He sighed and got up from his chair.  
  
He began walking around the large, ornate office, looking at the fine inlaid wood of the walls – his walls. Or at least, his walls that he jointly owned with Harry. It was so odd after so many years of poverty to be quite wealthy, and he still couldn't quite grasp the concept. Of course, the cost of his wealth had been intolerably high.  
  
The party the previous day had been both wonderful and terrible for him. It had been wonderful to share in Harry's joy. Harry had so few opportunities to know how much people cared about him. It was difficult for Harry to accept after being neglected for so many years.  
  
Lupin knew that he shared a bit of that with Harry. For so many years he had been alone, but since Dumbledore had brought back the Order, he had begun to feel useful again. There was always a steady stream of people to Grimmauld Place, and he was grateful that they seemed to accept that he was a werewolf.  
  
The party had also been terrible for him. Seeing himself with his friends in the Pensieve brought back so many memories of happier, simpler days. They had so many grand plans back then. They would talk for hours about their future and what they wanted to do with their lives, and Sirius and James had even convinced him that he had a future, too.  
  
That was the greatest gift they had given him. A kernel of hope that he could be useful, that being a werewolf didn't doom him to the life of an outcast. After all, if James and Sirius liked him and accepted him, couldn't others do the same? Perhaps somehow he could have a career, and love, and a family, and...  
  
And then once a month all his confidence would be wiped out in a single night.  
  
No one could truly understand what it was like. The horrible pain of his limbs extending, the skin stretching tight. His mind would recede as pure emotion and instinct took over. He became a fully fledged monster.  
  
The worst part of becoming the monster was the freedom. With his mind and morality ripped away, he could do anything he wanted. He held life in his hand – he could give it or take it at his whim. He was _powerful_. He was connected to nature in the most intimate way – and nature approved of him.  
  
When his mind would begin to return the next morning, he would fight it with all his might. He would scream in frustration that his power was being taken away. And when his mind returned, he would feel the horrible guilt for knowing how good it felt to be powerful.  
  
Knowing he had something to return to, his friends, helped him more than they could ever know. He never told them how good it felt to be the werewolf.  
  
The most optimistic he had ever felt was not long after Hogwarts. His OWL and NEWT scores had been among the highest in the school. He was a respected member of the Order. His friend James was married to a wonderful woman who accepted Remus without reservation. And then it was all taken away in a short span of time. Voldemort took it all away.  
  
Remus sighed. Taken away, and then given back, and then – taken away again.  
  
He was very glad that Harry had friends who supported him. But his fear on Harry's behalf ran to the core of his soul. After Sirius had died, Dumbledore had told Remus the prophecy, rightly believing that Sirius had requested that Remus look out for Harry.  
  
Remus felt himself growing emotional. It was almost unimaginable to him that anyone could bear the burden of a prophecy that stated they were the only one that could defeat Voldemort. The only mercy in the situation was Harry's ignorance. Other than Harry's own personal tragedy, he had no first hand knowledge of just how bad the first war was. There was a very good reason that Harry was as worshipped as he was.  
  
Remus broke down weeping as he thought of the horrors he had seen. He wept not for himself, or even for those who had died. Those tears had long since dried. He wept for the potential horror for Harry that was almost unlimited.  
  
Remus Lupin knew how cruel life could be.  
  
* * *  
  
"Bloody hell! I can't believe You-Know-Who was growin' out the back of his bleedin' _skull!_" said Blackhorn incredulously.  
  
"Swear. Saw it myself," said Tonks, grinning.  
  
MacGregor shook his head. "And Potter fought that off?"  
  
Tonks nodded, feeling a bit proud of Harry. She was in the Auror training room, relating the story of Harry's adventure with the Philosopher's Stone to a couple of her Auror friends. She was supposed to be doing some training exercises, but word had traveled fast that she had seen Harry's first year battle in the Pensieve, and they had trapped her into telling the story.  
  
"Well, boys, you've used up all my time that I had reserved," she said good-naturedly. "I'll expect you to make it up to me."  
  
MacGregor and Blackhorn laughed. "Don't give us that. You were dying to tell the story," said Blackhorn.  
  
Tonks laughed in return. "Well, maybe. I'll tell you one thing – I never want to be on Harry's bad side," she said, giving them a wink as she walked away.  
  
She opened the door to the training room and began walking down the hall. She was still a bit stunned by watching Harry in action. What was most remarkable was that it wasn't even in his top three most interesting experiences that he could have shared. She would have given a lot to be able to see what happened with the Basilisk, or the ministry last month, or for Merlin's sake, dueling You-Know-Who in a bloody graveyard.  
  
She reached her desk and sat down, reflecting on Harry. It would be safe to say that she thought Harry was the most remarkable boy – could you even call him a boy, and not a man, after what he's gone though? – that she'd ever met. She grinned to herself. _If he was a few years older..._  
  
She joked to herself about making a play for Harry once he became of age, but knew that it could never happen. She had seen too many Auror relationships fall apart.  
  
Her love life had certainly seen its share of ups and downs. Men were often frustratingly shy about asking her out. She was well aware that her Metamorphmagi abilities were the stuff of male fantasies. And funny enough, she didn't even resent it all that much. It was fun to role play, and there was no denying their... enthusiasm. She smiled devilishly at the thought.  
  
She recalled the first time she had kissed a boy as someone other than herself. She was fifteen, it was summer, and she had sneaked away from a group of friends with a boy that she liked. After snogging for a while, she had joked that he really wanted to kiss a certain attractive teacher at school to whom most of the boys had a crush. To tease him, she had transformed herself into the teacher and kissed him.  
  
The reaction had been very, very instructive. She learned quite a bit about male psychology that night as they played a game of her transforming into various school mates. Tonks smirked at the memory. Of course, he didn't find it nearly as funny as she did when she transformed into his best male friend while they were kissing...  
   
But even as she enjoyed playing those sort of games, at the same time she was never certain if they wanted her for her, or because she could look like anyone. It was another reason she was attracted to Harry. He was so innocent and sincere that it probably wouldn't even occur to him that she could be whoever he wanted. Harry was incapable of guile.  
  
Harry was the one you wanted in a foxhole with you, the one you wanted in a crisis. His track record proved that. But Harry was utterly unequipped to handle normal life. She knew that the last thing Harry needed was another Auror in his life. He needed someone strong who could heal him when the battles were over. Aurors can't heal each other. They're too busy trying to heal themselves.  
  
She shook her head slightly. Harry had no clue how great he could be. If she couldn't be the one to heal him, she could at least help to make certain he survived long enough to find someone who could.  
  
* * *  
  
The door banged against the frame as Ginny walked out of the Burrow, feeling angrier than she'd been in some time. She walked over to the broom shed and pulled out her broom. She frowned as she noticed how worn it appeared after all the use from the previous Quidditch season, but she didn't care about that just now.  
  
She took off into the air, the broom hiccupping slightly. It hadn't been out of the shed in quite a while and needed some use to get it fully warmed up. She flew in a circle, corkscrewing high above the trees that surrounded the Burrow. She then let herself coast in an arc, before making a sharp sweep back into the yard. The wind rushing past her ears felt good, as it seemed to blow the frustration out of her body.  
  
Ginny sighed. Just when she thought she had a handle on seeing Harry for who he really was, he had to show something that threw her for a loop. Most of her previous knowledge of Harry's heroism had been told to her. Even with her experience with Tom Riddle, she had been unconscious during all the action.  
  
Of course, she had seen some of it at the Ministry battle. When Harry had stepped in front of her to protect her, it had been... heroic. No other word for it. At the time she wasn't able to think about it, but afterward... She sighed again. Still, she had missed most of the Ministry battle.  
  
But there wasn't much to miss watching him in the Pensieve. Seeing him battle You-Know-Who had brought back all her feelings and then some. He was...  
  
_No, Ginny, don't go there. Don't think about it, _she thought desperately. He's your friend. Be happy with that. It doesn't matter that he happens to be the most amaz...  
  
_Stop! Stop thinking about it! _Trying to distract herself, she tore off into the forest. She made sharp turns through the trees, going at a breakneck speed. Ginny had flown through these forests so many times she knew she could fly practically blindfolded. She came out into a grassy glade, which held a field of red and gold flowers at one end. She slowed down, admiring the beautiful wildflowers.  
  
Her betraying thoughts went back to the scene in the yard while reading her book. She had been proud of herself for talking to him, and teasing him, and staying so normal. But when he had leaned in, the green eyes looking deep into hers and his voice dripping with sincerity, she almost came apart. _Why can't he look at me like that and mean it? _she thought forlornly.  
  
_Enough! Ginny, get hold of yourself! _She flew straight up again, pushing the broom to its maximum speed, which wasn't fast enough for her. She flew higher, higher, until she could feel the air growing cold from the altitude. Holding tightly to the broom, she closed her eyes and let her body separate from it. She felt herself falling, falling... it felt so good to be free from weight, at least temporarily.  
  
She opened her eyes and pulled the broom back underneath her. She stopped her freefall, still high above the ground, and just hovered, admiring the view. She rested her head on her hands and let herself lay on the broom, feeling the warm sun on her back. She felt a tear forming, but then violently swiped it away. _I'm not going to cry. I've done quite enough of that in the past, thank you, _she thought.  
  
A little voice spoke up in her head. _But, he did look at you at the party, didn't he?_ She had been trying to avoid thinking about the incident, but there wasn't any escape. _All right! _Yes, it was true that Harry had seemed to, well, look at her oddly when she was wearing her new dress. But how could she be certain about anything when it came to Harry?  
  
_How often does Harry light plates on fire? _said the little voice. She grew embarrassed, thinking back on it. At the time she had chalked it up to the fireworks, but there was no denying that the timing was... interesting... but...  
  
_Why can't I just get over him? _she thought desperately. The little voice answered her immediately. _Because you don't want to be over him._  
  
All the conflicted hopes and feelings welled up in Ginny, as she could feel the anger with herself surging forth again. She threw back her head and screamed out loud as she wailed her frustration to the brilliant blue sky.  
  
* * *  
  
Molly puttered about the Burrow's kitchen, cleaning up after breakfast. She was so happy they had allowed Harry to stay here instead of Grimmauld Place. It would have been very difficult for Harry to deal with that place after losing Sirius. Although she'd had her issues with Sirius, she knew that he sincerely cared for Harry, and that the loss had hit Harry very hard.  
  
She had been thrilled when Dumbledore told her that Harry could come there for his birthday. It was a perfect opportunity to show Harry that many people cared about him, that the loss of Sirius didn't mean that he'd lost all of his family.  
  
_And Ginny had appeared especially pleased that Harry was coming, _she thought, chuckling.  
  
Molly had counseled Ginny to go out with other boys and not worry so much about Harry, but truth be told, she was silently rooting for her. Harry was everything she could ever wish for in a son-in-law, but that scenario just seemed too good to be true.  
  
On the other hand, she couldn't help but notice that they had been spending more time together so far this summer than ever before. She had peeked out into the back yard the other day and spotted them reading and laughing together.  
  
Molly knew that Ginny's brothers underestimated her. She wasn't the best student of the family, but Molly suspected she was the mentally toughest of her children. _The seventh child is often special, _she thought.  
  
Although she knew Ginny beat herself up over being fooled by the diary, Molly had told her the truth – that Molly was proud of her for fighting it, and nearly beating it by throwing away the diary. Her recovery since then had been remarkable. It had taken some months and some good cries to move forward, but she had been back to the old Ginny before too long.  
  
Yes, Ginny had an inner strength, and Molly suspected it would do Harry a lot of good to let Ginny help him.  
  
Of course, Ginny went out of her way to indicate to Molly that she was no longer interested in Harry. Molly rolled her eyes, thinking about it. _If she thinks I'm going to buy that, _she thought. She saw the looks that Ginny still gave him, even if Ginny didn't want to admit it.  
  
But she was happy that Ginny wasn't pinning all her hopes on Harry. Harry had a lot to worry about, and it would be a miracle if he even entertained _any_ thoughts of the opposite sex. There was nothing to do for it, except wait to see what happened. She was certainly glad that the girl was finally talking to him, at least.  
  
She felt Ginny was special, but also felt that all her children were special in their own way. Percy was ambitious, Bill was the adventurous one, Charlie was the thrill seeker, the twins – well, she couldn't very well say much against them, could she? They had been doing quite well in their business, so she had to say that the Twins were the independent ones, creating their own path.  
  
Ron worried her a bit more. She knew that he felt in the shadow of her brothers, which was why she felt so happy that he had made Prefect and had done so well at Quidditch last year. She had a feeling about Ron. A little success could go a long way with him.  
  
_Assuming the boy doesn't kill himself first, _she thought angrily. She had been furious at seeing him taking dangerous risks in the Pensieve, reminding her of recent events all over again. Then again, she couldn't help but feel some pride. Her son had courage, and had proven it again at the Ministry, standing alongside his best friend.  
  
At the same time, she was terrified that he was standing with Harry. There was nobody more in the line of fire than Harry. Was anyone short of Dumbledore himself truly prepared to stand with him?  
  
_Well, at least they have Hermione to try and keep them out of trouble_, she thought with a mixture of amusement and seriousness. Molly loved Hermione, although she was glad that she appeared to be loosening up as the years went by. She was an extremely good influence on Ron, who had always lacked a certain discipline. She also wished Ron would get off his duff and ask the girl out already. It was so obvious they were eyeing each other, and that Hermione was waiting for Ron to figure it out. Molly was tempted to interfere, but knew it would be a huge mistake. Her children were stubborn and any attempt at pushing them in a certain direction would just delay things.  
  
She considered her two youngest children. She sighed and thought idly, _wouldn't it be wonderful if Ginny married Harry, and Ron married Hermione? _  
  
A chill ran down her spine as a grim thought forced itself into her mind, as they so often did these days.  
  
_Assuming they live to see that day._  
  
* * *  
  
Arthur Weasley closed the door of his workshop, feeling tense about the potentially dangerous experiment he was about to perform. One never knew what could happen with these sort of things.  
  
He walked around the room, casting impervious charms on the walls and ceiling of the workshop. _Just a precaution, _he thought nervously. He placed the mysterious object on his work table, admiring the workmanship. It was perfectly smooth, colored a pleasant blue. He reached out and scratched the surface with his nail, but the color remained.  
  
He cast a shield charm over the table, covering the object. A friend of his in the Department of Mysteries had taught him the spell, which put invisible walls around an object, but allowed your hands to penetrate for work on dangerous artifacts. Of course, if anything happened, your hands could be potentially damaged, but it was better than something blowing up in your face.  
  
As he worked, he found his mind drifting back to Harry's memory in the Pensieve. Like most people, he had never seen You-Know-Who personally, and the experience had badly frightened him. Arthur was a full-fledged member of the Order, and he knew what You-Know-Who was capable of, but somehow seeing him in the flesh made him tempted to take his family and hide them away for their protection.  
  
He knew he couldn't do that, of course. A Weasley never ran away from responsibility.  
  
He slowly slipped his hands inside the protective shield around the object. He touched the long, cylindrical object with both hands, each hand gripping one of two sections. There was a small seam that ran down the middle, and he suspected how it might come apart. Arthur grimaced as he made the tiniest turn of the two sections. They turned! He pulled his hands out quickly, waiting to see what happened.  
  
Arthur was usually not a fighting man, but he fully intended to do what he could in the Order. That usually amounted to gathering information from the Ministry, which had been going much better since the battle last month. Fudge had wet his finger and put in the air, and the winds from the public told him that he had better deal with the crisis. Harry had become his new favorite citizen, which made him much more amenable to keeping Arthur in the loop.  
  
He put his hands inside and gripped the object again. It appeared to be safe so far, so he gingerly began turning the two parts once more. He made a quarter turn and then waited. Quarter turn – wait. He continued this way, feeling anxious as the suspense built. Finally, he made one last quarter turn and the two sections flew apart. He pulled his hands out in a panic and ran from the table.  
  
Peering at the table, all seemed quiet, so he walked back. The parts had separated safely. He breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
His thoughts drifted to Percy. He hadn't heard anything from him after the battle, and he had half-hoped that he would. He knew Percy had a great deal of pride, making it extremely difficult for him to return to the family. While Arthur was very proud of Percy, he had always suspected that a break in the family was inevitable. He had hoped he was wrong, but...  
  
He sighed, turning his attention back to his project. He gazed in fascination at the tiny parts that made up the object. How did they do it? How did they create such perfectly made pieces?  
  
He reached in and separated the parts, placing them in neat rows. There was a long, black tube that ran down the interior of the hollow shells. Arthur pulled out the tube, which had some small parts on one end, and the other end had a thin piece of wire that spiraled around it. _Marvelous, simply amazing! _he thought excitedly.  
  
He was very tempted to contact Percy, but knew that it would be a mistake. It would inevitably be misinterpreted as gloating. No, Percy had to work through it himself. He just had to hope that Percy _wanted _to be part of the family. Arthur had known that Percy had high ambitions, and that Percy felt slightly ashamed of their financial status. He had tried to instill in his children that happiness came from within, and not from things outside oneself, but Percy had other ideas.  
  
Arthur hated being angry and resentful, but it was difficult to deal with Percy's attitude. No, they didn't live in luxury, but hadn't he always provided for them in the end? Hadn't Molly educated the children brilliantly before they went to Hogwarts?  
  
Arthur didn't even want to think it, but he thought that Percy could use a little time at the Dursley's to find out what a bad family looked like. He couldn't possibly have more respect for Harry's strength of character. How does a boy go through that and still come out as strong as he was? It was almost unbelievable.  
  
He started to put his device back together. Frowning, he realized the small pieces didn't seem to be fitting quite correctly. He decided he better fetch Harry to help him.  
  
He didn't want to his new ballpoint pen to be damaged.  
  
* * *  
  
"Neville! Haven't you started de-gnoming the garden yet?" said Gran sharply, peering into his room.  
  
Neville looked guilty as he put his book down. "I'm sorry, I... lost track of time."  
  
Gran looked at the book Neville was reading – a Defense book. Her expression softened. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize you were studying. Finish what you're doing and start when you're ready."  
  
"It's all right, Gran. I'm finished. I'll start right now," said Neville.  
  
Gran smiled at him and nodded. "Why don't I make some lemonade?"  
  
Neville smiled in return. "That would be great."  
  
As Gran left the room, Neville reflected on the almost bizarre change in his grandmother in the last month. Ever since the events at the Ministry, she almost looked at him with – respect.  
  
She hadn't said much specifically about the battle, only sending an Owl to make certain he was all right. He guessed that she had talked to Dumbledore to get the details; she certainly hadn't brought up the subject with him. He had been deathly afraid that she would berate him for breaking his father's wand, but she had only said they would pick up a new one at Ollivanders and left it at that.  
  
Neville walked out of the house into bright morning sunshine. He sighed as he saw a large group of gnomes running through Gran's garden, her pride and joy. He grabbed the nearest one and started swinging it over his head.  
  
Gran seemed surprised and pleased when the invitation from Mrs. Weasley came for Harry's birthday party, and Neville had to admit he was surprised as well. Although he felt like Harry tolerated him, he never felt like they were friends. He almost didn't go, but decided to attend at the last minute. After all, he owed Harry everything.  
  
He released a gnome, sending it flying a good twenty-five feet. He grabbed another that looked like it was ready to bite his ankles.  
  
The D.A. meetings the previous year had been a turning point in his life. He had been a bit shocked that Harry even let him come. And then something miraculous happened – he actually found he was rather good at Defense. He wasn't certain how, but Harry instilled a belief in him that he could do it. He didn't seem to look down at him like others did, which was remarkable in itself. If anyone deserved to look down on everyone, it was Harry.  
  
Watching him in the Pensieve had been incredible to Neville. He knew he could never be that brave, but somehow watching him inspired Neville even further to do more, to do his best.  
  
Although it felt absurd to compare himself to Harry in anything, he had felt some connection to Harry's life. They were both orphans in a way, raised by relatives.  
  
Growing up, he had always felt inadequate, that something wasn't put together quite right with him. Arriving at Hogwarts, he half expected them to send him home, telling him that his abilities weren't up to the minimum standards. He was beyond shocked when the sorting hat placed him in Gryffindor.  
  
He still recalled what the sorting hat whispered to him...  
  
_"Ah, yes. Interesting, very interesting. You are much more than you believe, you know. I can see it, and you can't fool the Sorting Hat, now can you? You will have to find that potential within yourself." _And the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!"  
  
Him? Neville? In the house devoted to courage and bravery? Ridiculous! He'd been tempted to believe that the Sorting Hat had played a cruel joke on him; that the hat would suddenly yell out, "Just kidding! Come on back!" and everyone would laugh at him.__  
  
Even at the end of his first year, when Dumbledore awarded house points for his supposed "bravery" in standing up to Harry, Hermione and Ron, he had felt inadequate. It almost felt a little patronizing to him; what kind of bravery was it to get hexed?  
  
Meeting Bellatrix at the Ministry had marked another turning point for him. He never thought he could feel as much hatred as he felt, but it had welled up from the very depths of his soul. Since that day he had resolved to learn more about Defense, to make his parents proud of him. He might never see Bellatrix again, but if he did, he wanted to be ready for her. He fantasized about being the one to bring her to justice.  
  
He shook his head as he launched another gnome over the hedge. It seemed so odd to even imagine himself doing something like that. But if Harry could carry his burdens at the same time he could help someone like Neville, could he do less than stand with Harry with the inevitable battle came to pass?  
  
Neville owed Harry so much. If Harry could give him hope of having a respected life, of not stumbling from one failure to another, then the least he could was be willing to give his life in service to the cause for which Harry was fated.  
  
* * *  
  
_Whoa! Look at the lines on that one, _Ron thought, as he gazed in awe at the Quidditch magazine he was reading. He glanced up, wanting to share the picture, but saw that Hermione was deep in concentration across the room, reading a book and making an occasional note in her notebook. He smiled slightly. He wouldn't disturb her right now.  
  
He let his gaze linger a bit before glancing back down to his magazine. He didn't want to be too obvious about it, but he liked watching her work. She had a number of little mannerisms that would manifest themselves as she read a particularly complicated passage. Sometimes she would purse her lips and rub her chin, and other times she would chew the end of her quill. When she inevitably solved her dilemma, a slight smile would emerge from the frown, lighting up her face again as she felt pleased with her progress. Ron loved seeing her brain work, and he felt a sense of pride welling up in him.  
  
His feeling of pride in her melted into gloom as an unwanted thought entered his mind. _Will anyone feel proud of me?_  
  
The last school year had been one of his best years and one of the worst ones of his life. Getting picked as a Prefect had been – well, unbelievable, even to him. He had felt a bit of resentment that Hermione seemed so surprised, but he could hardly blame her. He still wasn't certain he was up to the task. At least Quidditch had gone a bit better than that.  
  
_Weasley is our King, he always lets the Quaffle in..._He closed his eyes as the hated verse filled his head. Although the Quidditch season had ended on a high note, it still had been a harrowing, awful experience before that. The truth was that he didn't know if it was just a fluke toward the end, or if he could repeat his performance next season. _Please, please, please let me play well, _he thought desperately, as he begged the Quidditch gods to look favorably upon him.  
  
He glanced over at Hermione again, just as she glanced over to him. She gave him a smile before looking back down to her work. Ron felt a bit of heat crawling up his neck.  
  
It had been very exciting reliving the events in the Pensieve, though he'd been nervous about how his mother would react. His role in the events had been minor compared to Harry's, but afterward, he had looked over at Hermione, and she appeared – almost proud of him.  
  
In fact, many people at the party appeared to look at him in a new light. He noticed the Aurors giving him a raised eyebrow, as if he was perhaps made of stronger stuff than they had thought. Ron had secret hopes of being an Auror, but somehow that dream seemed so far away. He had casually alluded to the goal to Harry and Hermione, but he suspected that they didn't think he was serious. At least they hadn't laughed at him.  
  
He had also been a bit surprised to see that Charlie and Bill appeared to look at him with a new respect. They had asked him about the Ministry battle, but seeing the events in the Pensieve with their own eyes showed them something new about their youngest brother.  
  
Growing up, Ron had always looked at his two oldest brothers with a bit of awe. It just seemed impossible to measure up. He had to admit that even Percy, git as he was, made a hard act to follow. He was certain they were all as surprised as anyone when Ron made Prefect.  
  
Mum had always told him not to measure himself against his brothers, but to find his own path. That strategy had worked for Fred and George, at least; no one could accuse them of being followers.  
  
Ron supposed his mother was right, but still couldn't help wondering where he would fall compared to his brothers. Being a Prefect was a start. He had won the house cup. Maybe Quidditch captain someday? And depending on his OWL scores, was there a shot at become an Auror, the most respected profession in the magic world?  
  
Was it possible? Could he stand alone among his brothers, the best of all of them?  
  
* * *  
  
Parvati Patil sat in front of her mirror in her room, idly combing out her long, dark hair. She reached for a fancy hair clip, complete with a shimmering butterfly that she clipped perfectly into place.  
  
She contemplated a picture attached to the side of her mirror. The picture was of a certain Gryffindor Seeker by the name of Harry Potter during a Quidditch match, looking serious and determined as he flew about the pitch, looking for the snitch. His hair flew about his face heroically and every so often she could catch a glimpse of the famous scar peeking through the black, untidy hair. His green eyes seemed to glow as they scanned the picture world in his eternal seeking task.  
  
Parvati sighed at the picture. She had developed feelings for Harry toward the end of their fifth year. She had always liked Harry, and in fact went to the ball with him in her fourth year. But she had never really _fancied_ him, at least not seriously.  
  
But she was quite serious now.  
  
It started in the D.A. meetings. She knew of his history and knew that he had done some remarkable things. But somehow it never seemed real until he saw him in action, interacting with people. Hearing his accomplishments listed in the Hog's Head, many of which she had never been aware of, had shocked her. His humility served to make him even greater in her eyes, and his patience in the D.A. meetings had truly inspired her.  
  
But still she had held back. She knew that Harry had fancied Cho, so she had not wanted to get in the middle of _that_. Besides, everyone knew that Cho was dating Harry just to get information about Cedric. That relationship hadto end badly.  
  
She was shocked when she read about the events at the Department of Mysteries. He had done it again – had a fight with You-Know-Who and lived to tell the tale. How did he do it? He would probably modestly say that he had a lot of help, and she was certain it was true to some extent. But then, a lot of people in the last war had "a lot of help," and they were dead anyway. She thought Harry was much too modest.  
  
_Who am I to love Harry? But if not me, then who? Who in the world is good enough to love and be loved by Harry Potter?_ she thought. She felt a stab of jealousy as Hermione Granger entered her thoughts. Hermione was certainly smart, and Parvati knew that she provided an anchor to Harry. _The brains of the outfit, _she smirked, _although Harry is certainly smart in his own right._  
  
Parvati felt a little guilty at her thoughts of Hermione. She honestly liked her and respected that she had bravely helped Harry through many difficult times. Any relationship with Harry was a relationship with the three of them, and she might as well get used to that thought now. Cho hadn't understood that.  
  
Fortunately, Harry didn't seem to harbor any romantic feelings for Hermione, and vice-versa. In fact, the worst kept secret at Hogwarts was Ron and Hermione dancing around each other, seemingly oblivious to everyone trying to predict when they would finally get together.  
  
She looked at herself critically in the mirror. _I don't think I'm so bad a choice for Harry, _she thought. _I'm a Gryffindor. I can be brave for him, too._  
  
And this year she would be brave and make him notice her.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks to my beta readers, Allie Kiwi and DM. Isn't it fun to write reviews? I think so! :)_  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	7. Chapter 6 Pensieve Dreams and Stranger ...

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 6: Pensieve Dreams and Stranger Things_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry sat across from Ron over the chessboard, his attention wandering. His pieces were looking at him accusingly, causing Harry to look about the room rather than meet their disappointed stares at his moves so far. Hermione was reading some sort of enormous, heavy textbook, which caused him to idly wonder if Hermione's ultimate goal was to read a book as large as she was.  
  
Harry was losing badly, but he wasn't really concentrating much about the game. He was thinking it was time to tell Ron and Hermione about the prophecy. He had been trying all day to work up the nerve, but he always seemed to find an excuse to avoid it instead.  
  
"Checkmate," Ron said, as his pawns began applauding the performance. He didn't look too pleased by the win. "Harry, I don't think your mind was too much on the game. It was easy, even by my normally devastating standards."  
  
Harry sighed. He'd better get it over with. "There's something that we need to discuss. Something that Dumbledore told me at the end of last year. Something bad."  
  
Hermione looked up at that, alarmed. "What is it, Harry?"  
  
"Not here. I think the Pensieve can help with this. You can see it for yourself," said Harry.  
  
"All right, Harry. Shall we go down to the lake?" said Hermione.  
  
"Yes, I think that would work. Also – I think I would like Ginny to hear this as well." Harry looked away, somewhat embarrassed.  
  
"Ginny? Are you certain?" said Ron.  
  
"Yes," Harry said. "This, er, concerns Voldemort. And how he has to be defeated. Ginny fought her own battle with Riddle. And after the Ministry last year, I think she has a right to know this. Where is she?"  
  
"In her room, I think," said Ron.  
  
"I'll get the Pensieve and let her know," said Harry.  
  
Harry walked up stairs and picked up the satchel containing his Pensieve from his room. He then walked to Ginny's room, which was open. "Ginny?"  
  
Ginny was lying on her bed, reading a textbook. Harry peered a bit closer and noticed it was a defense book. "I didn't know you've been reading defense books. That looks fairly advanced, actually."  
  
"I have to get ready for your D.A. meetings, don't I?" she said, smiling. "What's up?"  
  
Harry had been smiling, but now his face grew serious as he remembered why he was there. "Well, something happened at the end of last year. Dumbledore told me – something. I haven't told anyone. I was going to tell Ron and Hermione, and – I want you to know as well."  
  
"You want me to come along?" she said carefully.  
  
"Yes." Harry looked around, as if someone might be listening. "It's about defeating Voldemort. You fought your own battle with him, and I – think you deserve to know this. Ginny, it's not good news, er, for me."  
  
Ginny looked concerned. "Harry, whatever it is, I'm certain you'll meet it, like you always have."  
  
Harry smiled weakly at her. "Shall we go? I'm going to show you all using the Pensieve, and we're going to go down to the lake."  
  
Ginny got up, and they headed downstairs where they met Ron and Hermione, who both had grim looks on their faces. They all walked out the door and hiked down to the lake in silence, the hot mid-afternoon sunshine streaming through the trees. They found a spot next to the water and sat down. Harry pulled out his Pensieve and broke the tense silence.  
  
"All right. Dumbledore told me something in his office after the Ministry last year. Something – hard to take. It concerns the prophecy that was destroyed in the Department of Mysteries. Dumbledore told me what the prophecy said."  
  
"How could he tell you if it was smashed?" Ron said.  
  
"Because Dumbledore was there when the prophecy was made. It was made by Trelawney," Harry said.  
  
"Trelawney?" Ron said dubiously.  
  
"This wasn't one of her tea leaf readings. It was one of her real ones. Dumbledore believed it."  
  
"Okay. So what did it say? What's so bad about it?" Ron said.  
  
Harry sighed. "You had best hear it for yourself."  
  
Harry brought his wand to his temple and placed the memory into the Pensieve. He touched his wand to the odd substance, as he gave the incantation to show the memory above the Pensieve. Trelawney began to speak, repeating the prophecy.  
  
_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."___  
  
Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat stunned as they listened to the prophecy. A long silence ensued, as they tried to assimilate the words.  
  
"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry," said Hermione, finally. "You've been living with this all summer?"  
  
"Harry, mate..." Ron said weakly. He didn't seem to have any words.  
  
Harry squirmed. He knew this was going to be the reaction. He hated pity.  
  
Ginny, however, seemed to have recovered and looked thoughtful. "It's – interesting, isn't it?"  
  
Harry blinked at her. "Well, that's not quite the word I would use, but..."  
  
"Harry, don't you see? It's good news, from a certain point of view," Ginny said, with a resolute look.  
  
"Good news?" Ron said incredulously. "Have you lost your mind? Did you hear what it said? It's either Harry or You-Know-Who to the death!"  
  
"Yes, it did. And what else is new? In case you haven't noticed, You-Know-Who has already tried to kill Harry four times, before we even knew about the prophecy. Did you think he was suddenly going to stop? We already know that he wants Harry dead." Ginny grimaced and turned to Harry. "Sorry, Harry, I don't mean to say it so baldly."  
  
Harry would have smiled if the subject weren't so grim. "No, you're right. It's not exactly big news. But what's the good news?"  
  
"The good news is that the prophecy says that _you can defeat him._ Harry, There's no doubt any more. It's not a question of _whether_ you can defeat him. You can. You have a power that the 'Dark Lord knows not'."  
  
"But Ginny, it doesn't say that he _will _defeat him," Ron said.  
  
"He will," Ginny said confidently. "Look, how many people have escaped from You-Know-Who four times? Much less by the age of fifteen? Not even counting Harry defeating Tom Riddle. Doesn't it seem like there is some sort of – fate – at work here?"  
  
Harry felt a bit embarrassed at her assurance. But somehow he did feel better. He hadn't thought about it that way – what really had changed? Voldemort was trying to kill him anyway, but now he knew that it was possible to win. The prophecy said so. He just needed to figure out how. He still might die, but there was a _chance._  
  
"I agree with Ginny," said Hermione. "But the question is, what is this power that Harry has? Did Dumbledore tell you, Harry?"  
  
"No, not in so many words. He just said that there is a room at the Department of Mysteries that contains whatever my power is, and Voldemort doesn't have it at all. He also said something about 'my heart' having saved me when Voldemort tried to possess me at the end of the battle."  
  
"Is this why Voldemort tried to kill you as a baby?" said Hermione. Ron flinched at the name, and she shot him an annoyed look.  
  
"Yes, but Dumbledore said Voldemort only heard the first part of the prophecy. Only that I would be born, but not the part about the 'power the Dark Lord knows not.' That's why he wanted to hear the rest of it," said Harry.  
  
They all grew silent, considering. Harry thought about mentioning that Neville had been another candidate, but it didn't seem relevant and technically it was really Neville's business anyway. Dumbledore had already told him that there wasn't any doubt that he was the subject of the prophecy.  
  
"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do," said Harry. "It's been very frustrating this summer."  
  
"Well, Harry, Dumbledore must have a plan for all this. I guess we're just going to have to trust him," said Hermione. "Perhaps when we return to school, we can learn more."  
  
_Trust Dumbledore_. Harry knew it was a bit unfair, but the whole idea of _Trust Dumbledore _had taken a hit after the Ministry battle. Dumbledore had always seemed so perfectly all-knowing, like he had matters well in hand. His admitting weakness had started Harry wondering whom or what he _could_ depend on.  
  
Last year he felt like a cork on the ocean, being tossed about at the whims of Voldemort, The Order and his Professors. He had come to the realization that he could no longer depend on others for his protection. The prophecy said he had to kill or be killed, and therefore there was no ultimate protection that could ever be offered.  
  
And frankly, he was tired of being manipulated by others. The Order could do what they wanted; he didn't care anymore. Maybe Dumbledore would tell him what's going on and maybe he wouldn't. But Harry was going to take control of the parts he could take control of, and for certain he was going to make sure he was prepared for the next battle.  
  
Harry noticed that they were all looking at him while his mind had been wandering.  
  
"Yes, well, we'll see," said Harry finally.  
  
"Shall we head back?" asked Hermione.  
  
"You all head back. I think I'd like to be alone and think for a while," said Harry.  
  
"All right, mate. Catch up to us later," said Ron.  
  
Looking worried, Hermione and Ginny both nodded at Harry.  
  
* * *  
  
Ron sat in his bedroom, several weeks after Harry's admission of the prophecy. Everyone had just gone up to bed, but too many thoughts were swirling in his head to get to sleep yet.  
  
After Harry's admission of the prophecy, Harry had been disappearing for long stretches of time. Ron wasn't certain what was going on with him, but figured that when he was ready, he would come back. Harry's admission of the prophecy had been shocking, but Ginny was right. It's not as if Harry didn't already have You-Know-Who trying to kill him.  
  
Since then, Ron and Hermione had been spending a lot more time together. The tension had been slowly building up in him, and he was about ready to go over the edge.  
  
He normally had a lot of fun with Hermione, and still did, but this year it was different. He wasn't exactly certain what he was feeling, but he resolved to himself that he would find out. _This brooding is making me nutters. I don't know how Harry manages to do it so much_, he thought.  
  
He was carefully mapping out his strategy, like a chess game. _Evaluate your opponent. Watch their strategy and adjust accordingly. _That was key in chess. What this meant in Hermione's case was that he needed to find out exactly how she felt. It would take subtlety and clever tactics to wheedle it out of her without her picking up on what he was doing.  
  
"Of course, we're talking Hermione here, the observation queen. How am I going to do this without her knowing?" he said aloud to himself.  
  
He suddenly smacked his fist into his palm. "Tactics! It's just like a chess game. Need to make my moves. Be _subtle_. Don't advertise the overall strategy."  
  
He walked over to his desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out his picture of Hermione.  
  
"Do you really like that git?" he asked the photo-Hermione. She just smiled back at him and hugged a book to her chest.  
  
He put down the picture and started pacing the room. _Hermione thinks I can't be subtle, but I can be, _he thought. _I'll find out what I need to know. I'll find out if it's really serious with Vicky Grouchy Krum._  
  
"And if isn't, then I can see if she cares at all about me," he said morosely. A little voice went up in head. _You really think there's a chance for someone like you? Doesn't she deserve – better?_  
  
"Bloody hell," he said sullenly. "I'm not that bad. I helped win the cup last year, didn't I?"  
  
_But you know Hermione doesn't care about Quidditch. How many OWLs do you think you got, Weasley?_  
  
"I might not have done that badly," he said gloomily to himself.  
  
_Uh huh, right, Weasley. Let's face it, you're not going to be Percy with his 12 OWLs, _said his little voice.  
  
His voice dropped to a whisper. "But she asked me to ask her to the next ball, didn't she?"  
  
_Yes, but she was angry, wasn't she? She didn't really mean it. And you weren't exactly nice to her that night, were you?_  
  
"Sod it. I guess we'll just have to find out."  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, Hermione was in her room, getting dressed to go downstairs. She was worried about Harry, who was spending an inordinate amount of time by himself with his Pensieve. He spent some time with his friends, but during those times his mind seemed to be elsewhere. He didn't look all that willing to talk about what he was doing when he was away, so she fought the urge to pry.  
  
She hoped that he would snap out of it soon, whatever it was. She dreaded the thought of confronting him about anything. Yet, if he withdrew any farther, she felt it was her duty as his friend to intervene.  
  
Her thoughts drifted to her other problem. Since Harry was occupied, she found herself spending a lot more time with Ron alone. Ginny was right; he was different, but if his problem involved feelings for her, it was difficult to tell. If anything, they seemed to be having more arguments lately, not less.  
  
At times everything would seem normal, and they would play games or just sit and talk about the next year at Hogwarts. At other times, he appeared nervous and jumpy, and he would make some sort of comment that led to an argument.  
  
She sighed as she headed downstairs, where she saw Ron already sitting, reading a Quidditch magazine.  
  
"Good morning, Ron!" she said brightly.  
  
"'Morning," he grunted. Ron didn't look like he was completely awake.  
  
"Hi, Hermione!" Ginny called from the kitchen.  
  
Hermione smiled and waved a hello.  
  
"Where's Harry?" Hermione said, turning to Ron.  
  
"Where else? He sneaked out early this morning. I haven't seen him at all," Ron replied, still reading his magazine.  
  
Hermione sat down next to Ron. "We're going to need to talk to him about all this soon."  
  
"If he wants to talk, he'll talk to us. Why should we try and force him?" Ron said, annoyed.  
  
"Ron! We're his friends! You saw what happened last year. He gets in these moods, and starts thinking all kinds of things, like when he was worried that everyone was afraid of him attacking them," Hermione said, getting a bit annoyed herself.  
  
"Well, he hasn't seen anyone attacked lately, has he?" Ron said, trying to read his magazine again.  
  
"How do we know? He isn't talking to us," she said sarcastically. "Ron! Put down that magazine and listen to me!"  
  
Ron sighed, dropping the magazine into his lap with a thud. "All right, maybe you ..." Hermione glared at him, and Ron continued quickly, "er, maybe _we_ can try talking to him later when he comes home. Happy?"  
  
Hermione beamed at him. "Yes, thank you. It's for the best, you know it is!"  
  
Ron looked unconvinced.  
  
"Breakfast is ready!" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen. They both got up and went to the kitchen to eat.  
  
After the meal, Hermione felt ready to take on the day. She had a stack of books that she had been dying to start in on, and it looked like a good time while they waited for Harry to return.  
  
"Come on, Hermione, let's walk down to the lake," Ron said.  
  
She looked hesitantly at her stack of books. "Well, I did want to get started on some of my Arithmancy work..."  
  
Ron frowned. "It's a great day outside – you don't want to waste it in here!" Hermione glared at him. "Er, not that studying is a _waste_, but well, maybe you could take your books down to the lake."  
  
She sighed. "All right, let me gather my work. Ginny, do you want to come with us?"  
  
"No thanks. Mum and I are going into town to pick up some stuff. You two have fun," she said, with a smile at Hermione.  
  
Hermione gathered her books and some parchment, as well as a blanket to sit down on at the lake.  
  
"How about if I bring down the chess set?" Ron said.  
  
"All right, but I do want to do some studying," Hermione replied.  
  
They headed out the back door of the Burrow, and walked side by side down the path toward the lake. Hermione glanced over at Ron, who appeared to be in one of his nervous moods. It was a gorgeous day, with bright sunshine and small puffy clouds in the sky. They soon arrived at the lake, and Hermione spread out the blanket and set her books down. Ron began setting up the chess pieces.  
  
"Let's play a game!" Ron said.  
  
Hermione looked longingly at her books, which seemed to be begging her to open them.  
  
"Oh come on, we have all morning. They're not going to grow legs and run away, unlike the chess pieces," Ron grinned.  
  
She laughed. "All right, one game, and then some studying."  
  
As they played the game, Hermione chatted about some of the places that she had visited on her vacation. Ron fidgeted nervously while she spoke and then abruptly seemed to switch subjects.  
  
"Er, Hermione, so... did you have any, er, contact with any Eastern European countries?" Ron asked.  
  
She looked puzzled at him. "No, you know we only traveled in Western Europe this trip."  
  
Ron looked uncomfortable. "Yeah. But did you, er, learn anything new about Eastern Europe?"  
  
She still couldn't figure out what he was driving at. "Well, I guess I did a little reading about Romania. I was reading a book about gymnastics. That's a Muggle sport. It's very popular in Romania."  
  
"Romania, huh? Er, that's pretty near some... other countries, isn't it?"  
  
Hermione looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Yes, Ron, most countries are near other countries."  
  
"But I bet Romania is near some other, er, interesting countries, isn't it?"  
  
Suddenly it hit her what Ron was circling around. Bulgaria was near Romania, and Ron was trying to get information about Viktor from her. She started getting angry with him, but decided to play with him a bit.  
  
"Yes, Ron, as a matter of fact Romania is near some _very_ interesting countries. In fact, it's near some of my favorite countries."  
  
Ron's face fell. She would have laughed if she weren't so irritated with him. The truth was that she had not even written to Viktor at all over the summer, her final letter coming at the end of the previous year. She had realized that even though she had made it clear to him that her feelings were platonic, he was still holding out hope that her heart would change. She knew it wouldn't. Viktor was sweet, but it just wasn't going to go anywhere. It wasn't fair to him to string him along.  
  
It then occurred to her that maybe Ron needed to hear that, in some abridged form. His jealousy irritated her, and she still asked herself what business it was of his if she had a pen pal that happened to be male. But was that really fair to him? Ron knew that Viktor had feelings for her. She hadn't really come out and told Ron that there was nothing. Just as Viktor had continued to hold out hope, Ron couldn't know where her heart really was. Maybe it was time to give him a little hint.  
  
But that didn't mean she had to make it easy on him, the jealous git.  
  
"Was there a particular country that you were interested in? I know quite a bit about that area," she said loftily.  
  
Ron got a mulish expression on his face. "I bet you know a lot about that area."  
  
"And just what exactly do you mean by that, Ron?" she said.  
  
"I'll just bet _Vicky_ told you all sorts of things about that area," he said.  
  
"As a matter of fact, he did tell me quite a number of fascinating things," she said, raising an eyebrow, "about a lot of subjects."  
  
Ron looked ready to explode. She thought it was time to let him off the hook.  
  
"But he hasn't told me anything lately," she said.  
  
Ron looked hopeful. "Not... lately?"  
  
"No, in fact we haven't written to each other this summer at all."  
  
"I guess you've been a bit too busy to write, huh?" Ron said, trying to look casual.  
  
Hermione snickered to herself. He was so transparent. "Look, Ron. The truth is that there was never anything between Viktor and me. He wanted something more," Ron's eyes narrowed as she continued, "but I just never felt that way about him. I tried to keep it as friends and just write to him, but it seemed to give him hope. So I told him we couldn't write each other anymore at the end of last year."  
  
Ron looked as though the Ministry announced that Christmas would be celebrated twice a year starting this summer. His face appeared to be fighting a battle between trying to stay casual and breaking out in a huge grin. The huge grin appeared to win, but she wasn't certain as he turned away to hide it.  
  
Hermione felt the funny feeling in her stomach whenever Ron did something particularly noble. _Maybe this is what he needed, maybe he will finally say something_, she thought.  
  
Ron turned back and looked at her with a slight smile. His eyes seem to be taking in her face, moving from her hair to her chin, drinking her in.  
  
Her heart began thudding at the attention. Ron had never looked at her like this, _studying _her, like he wanted to memorize her features. He finally settled on her eyes and gazed at her for several seconds. His lips parted, and his breathing grew shallow as the long pause settled over them.  
  
He abruptly looked away nervously. "Well, that's good. I always thought he was a bit of git. Grouchy, that one," he said finally.  
  
The mood was shattered. Hermione felt her irritation returning, somewhat surprising considering the affection she had just been feeling. "He is very nice!" she said, before she could stop herself. She knew this wasn't the time to defend Viktor, but she couldn't help it.  
  
"Hmph," was all Ron said. He didn't seem to want to cover that ground again. He reached out over the chessboard and made a move. "Check," he said.  
  
* * *  
  
Several days later, Ginny walked through the forest toward the glade that she knew Harry had mostly likely chosen. She had seen him heading in this direction and was certain that he was going to a particular place that she herself came to think on occasion. As she got closer, she started to walk more slowly and almost tiptoed up to the glade. She peeked around a tree and saw him sitting next to his Pensieve.  
  
Ginny was startled by Harry's face, which had an oddly peaceful look on it. It was so rare to see Harry _at peace_. She studied him for several minutes, fascinated.  
  
_Well, might as well get this over with, _she thought. She wasn't certain how this was going to go. Ron and Hermione had come up to her that morning in the Burrow.  
  
_"Ginny, can we talk to you?" said Hermione._  
  
_"All right. What's up?" she had replied._  
  
_"Harry, what else?" Hermione sighed. "We're worried about him. He's spending an awful lot of time with his Pensieve and we're concerned about him."_  
  
_"I know. Have you talked to him?" she asked._  
  
_"Well, we tried. But he got angry, and, er, said some things." Hermione looked embarrassed. "It was like last year. He's pulling into himself, and I'm not certain what's going on!" Hermione said, frustrated. "Why did Dumbledore give him that Pensieve if it's just going to make him separate from his friends? I don't understand what he was thinking."_  
  
_Ginny had been thinking about it. "Well, he's probably obsessing on old memories. Probably going back and forth between memories where he blames himself, looking for things he could have done differently, and ones where he doesn't have to think about any of it at all."_  
  
_Hermione nodded. "Yes, that sounds about right. But he needs to not be so – isolated. Ginny, we..." Ron glared at her. "Er, I mean, I was thinking that maybe you should talk to him."_  
  
_She was shocked at this. "Why me? You two are his best friends."_  
  
_"Well, we tried. And frankly, Ginny, you did a good job last year pulling him out of his moods. Like just now, you understand him better than a lot of people," Hermione said._  
  
_She felt embarrassed at this. "Well, I don't know about that, but I guess I can try."_  
  
And now she found herself with Harry, not certain what to do. She walked over to him. "Harry," she said gently. He didn't move. Ginny frowned, and said louder, "Harry." Still nothing. She grew annoyed and then shook him, shouting, "Harry!"  
  
Suddenly Harry seemed to shake back to reality. "Ginny! What are you doing here?"  
  
She giggled. "Looking for you." She grew more serious and decided to get right to the point. "Harry, to be honest, we're all a bit worried about you."  
  
Harry grew angry. "First Ron and Hermione, now you?" he snapped. "Why can't I be left alone in peace?"  
  
Ginny felt her Weasley temper flaring. "Ron and Hermione may take that attitude from you, Harry, but I don't! You want to be left alone? Then fine! Stay there and brood by yourself!" She stalked off.  
  
She heard Harry get up. "Ginny! Wait!" he called after her. Ginny slowed down a bit. "Please?" he asked quietly.  
  
Ginny stopped, debating with herself. There was something about his voice that made her finally turn around. She faced him, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Well?"  
  
"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Harry said, eyes downcast. "I know I haven't been very – sociable lately." He glanced up, looking embarrassed. "Will you stay – for a minute?"  
  
Her anger melted away as she saw him open up and become a bit vulnerable. "All right, Harry," she said quietly and walked back. "Why don't we sit down?"  
  
They both sat down next to the Pensieve. Ginny said nothing. She had a feeling that if she just stayed silent, Harry would begin speaking on his own, and it would be easier for him than if she tried to pry it out of him. They sat for several minutes, with Harry's face a mask. She just looked out over the view, waiting for him to find the words. Finally, Harry spoke.  
  
"I know you are all worried. I'm a little worried about myself, too, I guess."  
  
Ginny looked at him, but said nothing, letting him say it at his own pace.  
  
"I've been looking at some of the battles. Reliving them. Trying to figure things out. I know it doesn't seem like it, but it's been – helping me. Somehow being able to look it over helps me to – come to terms with – things." Harry looked like the admissions were taking a monumental effort.  
  
"We all would have understood that. Why are you – hiding – out here?" Ginny asked, sensing he needed a little encouragement after his confession.  
  
Harry looked shy and deeply embarrassed. "That's not all I've been looking at."  
  
"What, then?" Ginny asked.  
  
Harry paused, a war seemingly being fought within himself about what to say. Finally he said, "I've been able to pull memories of my parents – when I was a baby."  
  
Suddenly it dawned on Ginny what had been going on with him. "Oh, Harry... I..." she stopped, not knowing what to say to that. Harry looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole.  
  
"It's all right, Harry," she said gently. "Your parents were taken from you when you were so young. No one could blame you for wanting to see them, and for wanting to feel love from them again."  
  
Harry looked downcast, and just nodded, unable to speak further. Ginny let him have his thoughts and waited for him to find his voice again.  
  
After several minutes, he said, "Have you ever heard of the Mirror of Erised?"  
  
"No," Ginny said.  
  
"Ron and I found it in our first year. I think Dumbledore wanted us to find it. But anyway, it's a mirror that shows your innermost desires. I suppose it's not all that surprising what my desire is," he said bitterly. "It showed me my family."  
  
Ginny watched him carefully as he continued. "I – went back, night after night to look in the mirror. Then one night, Dumbledore showed up. Do you know what he said?"  
  
Ginny shook her head.  
  
"He said, 'it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.' That's what I've been doing lately. At first, it helped so much to be able to go back there and just be with them. Watch them take care of me when I was a baby. But – it's not real. They're really dead, and they're not coming back."  
  
"But your memories of them are real," Ginny said. "Memories can be a comfort, Harry. If the Pensieve helped to give you stronger memories of them, that can only be a good thing. It's what you do with the memories that are important. They can be used to grow weak and dependent, or used to keep you strong and tied to your roots.  
  
"My memories of the Chamber used to make me weak until I came to terms with them. I used to obsess about how stupid I was, until I made a decision to just learn from them, and move on. And I think I have."  
  
Harry nodded, looking a bit steadier. Another silence grew between them, but without as much tension. Harry appeared to come to a decision and said shyly, "Ginny?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Er, would you – like to see, er, my parents? In the Pensieve?" Harry seemed unable to look at her as he asked.  
  
Ginny was stunned that he would ask her to share something that was obviously so personal to him. "Of course I would, Harry."  
  
Without saying another word, Harry moved the Pensieve between them. He raised his wand up to his temple, withdrew a silvery thread of thought, and deposited it in the basin. He touched his wand to it and a clear window opened up above the Pensieve. Ginny could see a room through the window.  
  
Harry looked at her with raised eyebrows. Ginny nodded, and they simultaneously entered the window.  
  
Ginny felt the head-over-heels sensation, and then found herself standing next to Harry in a large living room. James and Lily were sitting on a couch, watching baby-Harry trying to crawl about the room, almost, but not completely with success.  
  
James was talking to baby-Harry. "Come on, Harry! I bet Sirius you would be crawling by next week! You can do it, that's my boy!"  
  
"You and Sirius and your bets. Let me guess – you also bet that Harry would be a star Seeker at Hogwarts, right?" Lily said, amused.  
  
"Too right he will be, right Harry?" James gave him a big thumbs-up. Baby-Harry gurgled at him happily.  
  
Ginny looked over at Harry, and he wore the happy, serene expression she had seen on his face outside the Pensieve as he watched his mother and father talk to the baby. Without understanding why, she reached over and took Harry's hand. It seemed a natural thing to do as they shared such a moment in time. Harry appeared to feel the same way as he gripped her hand back and gave her an unselfconscious smile. Somehow his shyness was held at bay in this place, in his _home._ Here he could be himself and all was right with the world.  
  
They stayed for some time, watching James and Lily play with baby-Harry. Finally, Harry sighed and looked over at Ginny.  
  
"We should go back," he said.  
  
Ginny nodded, and she felt the flipping sensation through the icy blackness, and then found herself sitting next to Harry once again. She noticed that her hand was not holding Harry's outside the Pensieve, and she was grateful. She had a feeling that it would just embarrass Harry for it to happen here. The memory had been a special moment, but this was reality. It would mean something different here.  
  
"Thank you for showing that to me, Harry," Ginny said, touched.  
  
"You're welcome. I – I'm glad I – shared it with – someone." Harry looked away, his shyness seeming to double to make up for the moment in the Pensieve. "I think I'm ready to – move on. Perhaps I'll visit again, but Dumbledore was right. I don't want to 'dwell on dreams' anymore." Harry put his wand to the Pensieve and returned the memory to his head.  
  
Ginny nodded and stood up. "Ready?" she said, putting her hand out to help Harry up.  
  
Harry looked up and smiled. "Yes, let's go." He took her hand, let her help him up, and packed away the Pensieve into his satchel.  
  
Harry laughed. "Let's go see what Ron and Hermione are doing. We shouldn't let them be _alone too long. _I'll race you!" He immediately took off running and laughing, and Ginny followed, also laughing.  
  
"Have to cheat in order to win, eh, Potter?"  
  
"Against you, probably," he said, running into the forest, and back to the home of his adopted family – his home.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks as always to my beta readers, Allie Kiwi and DM. The title of this chapter is a play on 'Penguin Dreams and Stranger Things' by Berke Breathed (author of Bloom County), one of the great book titles. :-)_  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	8. Chapter 7 Girls, Goblins and Getaways

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 7: Girls, Goblins and Getaways_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry was sitting at the breakfast table, along with Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Mrs. Weasley had fixed yet another huge pile of food, and now was upstairs taking care of some chores. Harry couldn't believe how much he had been eating lately. His ribs had been showing embarrassingly when he had arrived at the Weasleys', but in the weeks since he seemed to have gained a lot of weight.  
  
But his appetite still didn't compete with Ron's. He watched in fascination as Ron piled up another enormous plate of food. He idly wondered exactly where it all went. Hermione seemed to notice as well as she cast a disapproving look at Ron.  
  
"Great Merlin, Ron, don't you ever stop eating?" she asked.  
  
Ginny giggled. "Give it up, Hermione. He's always been that way."  
  
Ron took a generous helping of scrambled eggs, shoveling them into his mouth with gusto. Ginny paused, appearing to wait for him to commit to the bite, and then said with a grin, "His future wife is going to have to be able to keep him well fed."  
  
Ron choked on his food and glared at Ginny.  
  
As he started to respond, an owl flew through the window and dropped several letters on the table. Seeing the seal of the Ministry on the official looking envelopes, Harry felt a cold chill as he realized what had arrived.  
  
Ron's retort to Ginny forgotten, he stared fearfully at the letters. His voice grew hushed as he asked, "Are those...?"  
  
"Ooooh! Our OWL results!" Hermione said excitedly.  
  
She grabbed her envelope and ripped it open eagerly. Quickly reading the letter, her face fell. "Oh, no!" she said with horror.  
  
"What!?" asked Harry and Ron together.  
  
"How many OWLs did you get?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Oh, well," said Hermione, embarrassed.  
  
"How many?" Ron asked.  
  
"Er, thirteen," she said, turning away and blushing.  
  
"Thirteen! How the bloody hell do you get thirteen? You didn't have that many classes!" said Ron loudly.  
  
"Um, well, I took some independent study courses," said Hermione.  
  
"You never told us that!" said Ron, a bit annoyed.  
  
"After I overdid things in the third year, I received permission to just make independent studies of certain subjects without having to attend classes. I was able to make more efficient use of my time. I also did extra study during the summer. I didn't know how it would go, so I didn't tell anyone in case I ended up, well, failing."  
  
"So what's wrong then?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Oh, that." Hermione appeared to blush even deeper. "You remember the History of Magic OWL that got interrupted last year? I wasn't able to finish, much less go back and check all my answers. My grade was, uh, a little lower than I expected," she said.  
  
"Let me see your letter!" said Ron suspiciously, as he reached over and snatched it from her hands.  
  
"Congratulations, Hermione. You deserved it," said Harry, smiling. Hermione beamed back at him.  
  
Ron looked awed. "You got an 'O' in every subject! Well, except for the one where you _only _got an 'E'." He snickered. "Wait until Percy hears about this with his twelve ruddy OWLs. I might have to let Fred and George know... they'll for sure want to hear about this."  
  
"All right, Ron, how about yours?" said Ginny, with a smile.  
  
Ron looked at the letter on the table like it might explode in his face if he opened it. "I-I can't." He reached over, grabbed the letter, and thrust it at Ginny. "Here, you do it."  
  
"Honestly, Ron. Are you a Gryffindor or aren't you?" She opened the letter, taking out an official looking piece of parchment. She took her time reading it over, expressionless.  
  
"Well?" said Ron with exasperation.  
  
Ginny looked at her brother with a sad expression. "I'm sorry, Ron," she said as she patted his shoulder. Ron looked stricken.  
  
"Hermione beat you. Only eight OWLs," she said, her face breaking up in a laugh.  
  
"Eight?" he said, as if the number wasn't quite registering.  
  
"Oh Ron! I'm so proud of you!" Hermione said. She jumped up, hugging him excitedly.  
  
"Eight bloody OWLs?" He grabbed the letter back from Ginny and skimmed it quickly. "I passed Potions!"  
  
He turned to Hermione. "Thank you, thank you," he said sincerely. "I couldn't have done it without your help." Hermione blushed deeply at this, and Ron looked uncomfortable about his emotional outburst as well.  
  
"Well done, Ron," said Harry, grinning at him.  
  
Ron cleared his throat. "Well, Harry, how about yours?" he asked.  
  
Harry took a breath as he reached for his letter. He opened it up and began reading. He felt a sinking feeling as he read the contents.  
  
"What's the matter? How many?" said Ginny.  
  
"Oh, uh, nine, I guess," Harry said.  
  
"That's great, mate! Congratulations!" said Ron enthusiastically.  
  
"Yes, Harry! That's wonderful!" said Ginny.  
  
"What's the matter, Harry? Those results are fantastic!" said Hermione.  
  
Harry passed his letter over. Hermione read it over, looking distressed as she realized the problem. "Oh, Harry, an 'E' in Potions, but..."  
  
"McGonagall said that Snape only accepts Outstanding potion OWLs in his N.E.W.T. classes, and to be an Auror I need to take advanced Potions," said Harry, his face a mask.  
  
"I bet if you spoke to McGonagall or Dumbledore, they would make Snape take you!" said Ron.  
  
"No," said Harry forcefully.  
  
"But Harry, you need Potions! And if Snape wasn't such a horrible teacher, you would have received an 'O'!" said Hermione.  
  
"No! It's done!" said Harry, angrily.  
  
"But why? Harry, if anyone should be an Auror, it's you!" said Hermione fervently.  
  
"Stop!" Harry shouted, losing his temper. "I'm not going to talk to bloody McGonagall or bloody Dumbledore! I messed up, I don't deserve the class!" Harry stood up, knocking his chair to the floor. "Now drop it!" He stalked out of the kitchen.  
  
He went to the living room and slumped into a chair. He already felt guilty about yelling at Ron and Hermione. He wasn't even sure why he had become so angry. He buried his face into his hands, tears threatening to burn his eyes. He pulled them back, struggling for control over himself. The memory of McGonagall at his career meeting came back to him.  
  
_"Potter, I will assist you to become an Auror if it is the last thing I do!"_ she had said.  
  
Harry felt a deep shame, thinking that he had let her down. What other career could he do? He had no idea. Becoming an Auror was the only thing he had ever thought about. Maybe he could talk to McGonagall or Dumbledore about Snape, but he just felt a deep aversion to the whole idea.  
  
Ron and Hermione came out of the kitchen, looking concerned and contrite. "Harry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed that on you," Hermione said.  
  
"Yeah. Sorry, mate," said Ron.  
  
"I'm sure it will all work out someway. You _deserve _to be an Auror. You heard Tonks – she said you're an unofficial one anyway," said Hermione.  
  
"I'm sorry, too," said Harry. "I shouldn't have shouted at you. I guess it was the disappointment."  
  
"How about we finish our breakfast?" said Ron, trying to restore normality. Hermione gave him a suspicious look, but said nothing.  
  
"In a minute. I just want to – think. I'll come back in a few minutes," said Harry.  
  
"All right, mate. Anything you say." Ron headed back into the kitchen.  
  
Hermione paused and said, "Harry, I should have realized that you wouldn't want special treatment after all the attention you already get, and especially with Snape who accuses you of that all the time anyway."  
  
"Thanks, Hermione, for understanding," he said gratefully. She was right. She had managed to sum up his feelings concisely, and somehow hearing it made it a little easier to deal with.  
  
Hermione smiled at him. "Well, don't thank me, thank Ginny. She explained it to Ron and me after you left."  
  
"Ginny?" said Harry.  
  
"You know, she understands you very well, Harry," Hermione said, and she headed back to the kitchen.  
  
Harry walked over and sat next to a window, gazing out at the bright morning sunshine. He pondered his future, and pondered how it was that someone knew him so well.  
  
* * *  
  
"Come on you lot! Hurry up! The Ministry car will be here any second to take us to Diagon Alley!" Mrs. Weasley yelled up the stairs.  
  
Ginny sighed as she tried to pull herself together. Their school letters had come a few days before with their book lists. As expected, Ron and Hermione were prefects again this year. Ginny's mum had hoped she might make prefect, but no badge had appeared with her letter.  
  
"Mum, it's no big deal. I wasn't expecting it. My marks are decent, but I'm not the prefect type," Ginny had said.  
  
"Too much influence from Fred and George! If only you had taken after your other brothers... even Ron..." Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny rolled her eyes.  
  
Harry had tried to act disinterested in whether she was a prefect, but she suspected that he was secretly happy. With his two best friends being prefects, it would have been hard for him if yet another of his friends became one without him. _I'll have to keep him company on the train again this year, _she thought.  
  
Hermione was busy packing up some stuff to take with her.  
  
"Ready to go?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Yes. Let's find the boys," said Hermione.  
  
Ron and Harry were already waiting downstairs. A few minutes later a Ministry car pulled up, and they all piled into the car along with Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Are they ever going to let us travel by floo powder again?" asked Ron, annoyed.  
  
"Ron!" glared Hermione, glancing at Harry. Harry just sighed. Ginny thought that he was probably tired of making everyone take special precautions.  
  
Mrs. Weasley shot Ron a glare as well. "I've heard that they are working on setting up some secure floo channels to make it harder for You-Know-Who to attack," she said. She turned to Harry, "You know, dear, it's not just us that are taking precautions. Many people in the Ministry have to take special measures."  
  
Harry nodded glumly. He didn't look particularly eased by the news.  
  
Soon they reached the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley counted the bricks, and then activated the entrance. The bricks pulled back, giving access to the street.  
  
Ginny always loved Diagon Alley. It had such a phenomenal range of items for sale. Of course, her family had always been short of money, so she couldn't buy things very often. Nevertheless, she always enjoyed poking through the shops.  
  
They walked along the street, coming to a large fountain. "Mum, how about if we meet back at this fountain? Didn't you have some errands to run?" Ginny said.  
  
Mrs. Weasley looked uncertain. "Well, I do, but..."  
  
"We'll be fine! Didn't you say Diagon Alley has tight security nowadays? We'll go off and do our shopping, maybe have some lunch, look around a bit, and then meet back here. We'll be fine! No one is going to attack with all these people around," Ginny said persuasively.  
  
"I suppose we could meet back here..." Mrs. Weasley said reluctantly. "But promise me you lot won't get into trouble! Hermione, you'll look out for them, won't you?"  
  
Hermione got a rather officious look on her face. "I'll keep them out of trouble, Mrs. Weasley."  
  
"Right then, shall we meet back here at two o'clock?" Mrs. Weasley asked.  
  
"That sounds fine. Thanks, Mum," said Ginny, beaming.  
  
Mrs. Weasley opened her bag. "Here is some money for your books and some lunch. Just remember your promise. Stay out of trouble!" Mrs. Weasley said sternly, before wandering off.  
  
"Ginny, that was brilliant! I never thought we'd be able to convince her to let us go off by ourselves," said Ron enthusiastically. "What first? You know, I heard about this pub where they don't check ages..."  
  
"Ron!" said Hermione authoritatively. "You heard your mum. We're supposed to stay out of trouble. We should go shopping for our books!"  
  
Ron's face fell. "But, Hermione! You're not taking my mum seriously, are you?" he asked, then imitated his mother's tone. "Hermione, you'll look out for them, won't you?"  
  
"Ron! Do you _want _to get in trouble? And we have books to buy," Hermione said heatedly.  
  
The argument continued as Ginny cast a glance at Harry. He seemed to have already tuned them out, being used to five years of it. She grinned at him, and Harry smiled back.  
  
Harry spoke up. "Look, Ron, why don't we get our books out of the way and then we'll be free to do whatever we want? Then we're not rushed at the end."  
  
Hermione shot Ron a superior look, but mercifully didn't say anything else.  
  
Ron grudgingly agreed. "All right, mate. Maybe you're right. The book shop is on the way to that pub anyway." Hermione rolled her eyes. Ginny snickered.  
  
They walked into the bookshop. It was very crowded, filled with students buying their books for the year. Ginny recognized a few students from her year.  
  
"I heard that the new edition of _Which Broomstick_ is out. I think I'll check it out," Ron said, heading over to the Quidditch section.  
  
"Right. I think I'll start with the Defense section," said Harry.  
  
"I've got my fifth year books to buy, so I'll see you all in a few minutes," said Ginny.  
  
Hermione waved at everyone as she headed to the Potions section.  
  
Ginny started walking over to the Standard Studies section, which contained textbooks for pre-OWL students. She had just found _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5_ when she saw a book that had been misplaced in the wrong section: a familiar book that she had joked about during the summer.  
  
_Ha! Speak of the devil_, Ginny thought. She felt a teasing instinct come over her as she spied Harry over in the Defense section. She pulled the book down and casually walked over to him. Harry was busily flipping through a book when he noticed her coming up. Ginny fought to keep the smirk off her face with only moderate success. Harry seemed to notice.  
  
"What's up, Ginny?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see what you thought of this book," she said. She handed him the book.  
  
He looked at the title and blushed furiously. It was _The Dating Guide for Young Wizards. _"Uh, uh, what?" Harry said, speechless.  
  
Ginny managed to keep her face straight, as she gave him a wide-eyed look. "What do you think?"  
  
"Well, it looks – informational, I guess," Harry said, barely able to glance at the book.  
  
"I've heard it's _very _informational for young wizards. Here, take a look." Ginny reached over and flipped it open to a random page. "Read it and tell me!"  
  
Harry's hands shook slightly as he looked down at the book. The title of the section was, "_How to know when the witch is ready to be kissed."_  
  
Harry's mouth seemed to have stopped working, so Ginny came around next to him where she could see the book, and began to read.  
  
"Hmm. Let's see. This is interesting. '_Many witches will send subtle signals. For example, they might stand or sit a bit closer than normal, touch your arm, or speak in a low voice,' " _Ginny read. She stole a glance at Harry, whose jaw was hanging open in shock.  
  
Ginny continued reading. "Or, listen to this! '_For more information, please see the step-by-step pull-out chart on flirting.' _That sounds interesting. Shall we look at the chart?" Ginny asked innocently.  
  
"No!" Harry quickly closed the book, as if it was about to attack him. "No, uh, that's all right, I... uh..."  
  
_He's almost too easy, _she thought. Ginny decided to take pity on him. "I was thinking of getting that for Ron. You know, so he'll know what do with Hermione," she said. Finally she couldn't hold back and started laughing loudly.  
  
Harry's face fell, as he realized he had been had. He groaned. "You are a cruel one, Miss Weasley. How about if I go get the _Guide for Young Witches,_ and you can read that?"  
  
She grinned at him challengingly. "Harry, I'd like to see you walk over into the teen witch's section, find that book, and carry it back. You do that, and I'll read anything you like."  
  
Harry knew he was defeated, again. "Am I ever going to win something against you?" he asked forlornly.  
  
"Nope," said Ginny with mirth.  
  
"It _would_ be kind of funny to get this book for Ron, though..." Harry said, grinning. His hand was rubbing his chin thoughtfully.  
  
"Harry!" A loud female voice called from across the bookshop.  
  
Turning around, Harry saw Parvati Patil strolling over to him. She looked very pretty in some sunny yellow robes that fit rather snugly, accentuating her curves. Her long, dark hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and was pinned back with a matching flower hairclip. Harry eyes seemed to look her up and down of their own accord.  
  
"It's so good to see you!" she said.  
  
"Hello, Parvati," Harry said politely. Suddenly realizing he was holding a rather embarrassing book, he quickly hid it behind him.  
  
"Oh, hello, uh, Ginny?" Parvati appeared to suddenly notice her presence. "You're Ron's little sister, right?"  
  
Ginny felt irritation rising. "Yes. Hello, Parvati."  
  
Turning back to Harry, Parvati said in a low voice, "Are you doing all right this summer, Harry? Of course, we all know what happened at the Ministry. It was so _brave_ of you."  
  
Harry fidgeted. "Um, I'm doing fine, thanks. It wasn't really anything, I had a lot of help..."  
  
"Perhaps," she smiled coyly at him.  
  
Ginny felt herself growing _very_ irritated.  
  
Parvati took a step closer, causing Harry to gulp in response. "Still, you always seem to do very well in those – _situations._" She looked him straight in the eye, and her voice went even lower. "It's very _inspiring _to many of us. I can't wait to learn – more – from you this year."  
  
Ginny thought Harry looked about to collapse._ Must resist urge to Bat-Bogey Hex her, _she thought furiously.  
  
"I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express, won't I?" she purred at him.  
  
"Uh, sure, yeah, of course, yeah," said Harry.  
  
She touched his arm, sliding her hand down as she moved away. "I'll see you soon, then." With that, she breezed away.  
  
"Harry?" Ginny said, annoyed. Harry was still watching Parvati's back as she moved away. "Harry? _Harry!_"__  
  
"Huh?" He seemed to come out of a trance.  
  
"Oh, never mind." Ginny stalked off.  
  
She spotted Hermione in the Charms section. She wandered over and started looking for her fifth year Charms book. She must have had a look on her face, because Hermione raised her eyebrows at her.  
  
"What's up with you? You look like you want to hex someone."  
  
"Too right. The Bat-Bogey is too good for a certain sixth year Gryffindor by the name of Parvati," Ginny said, teeth gritted.  
  
"What'd she do?" asked Hermione.  
  
"She came up to Harry and was practically drooling all over him. It was absolutely revolting!" she said, making a disgusted face.  
  
"Parvati? She's never shown any interest in Harry before, not even at the ball."  
  
"Well, she's showing interest now. She couldn't have been more obvious about it. And Harry ate it up!" Ginny said.  
  
"Ah, I see," said Hermione, with a slight smile.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Ginny, as she pulled books out of the shelf and slammed them back in without even looking at them.  
  
"Ginny, Harry is not going to be interested in Parvati."  
  
"What do I care? He can be interested in her if he wants." She slammed a book back particularly hard.  
  
"He's not interested in her, Ginny."  
  
"You didn't see him, Hermione. The git's jaw was practically hitting the floor," said Ginny.  
  
"I mean, Parvati is pretty, of course, ..." Hermione started. Ginny glared at her. Hermione continued quickly, "but Harry won't be taken in by just a pretty face."  
  
"Cho Chang," said Ginny.  
  
"All right, touché. But Harry didn't know Cho. What happened once he got to know her better? A pretty face wasn't enough, was it? And Harry has known Parvati for five years. He took her to the ball, and didn't exactly give her the time of day after that. She just caught him by surprise, and his hormones erupted," Hermione said, giggling.  
  
Ginny snickered a bit at that. "Well, maybe you're right. What's wrong with me, anyway? Great Merlin, I can't believe I'm letting myself feel jealous. It was just such bad timing, Hermione. Harry and I were having a good laugh together, and she just had to spoil it. And then she looked down her nose at me and gave me a, 'aren't you Ron's little sister'? Like I need to hear _that, _especially with Harry right there_._"  
  
Ginny sighed and said, "Listen to me. I am _not _going to worry about Harry's love life. Just continue down the road, right? If something happens, it happens, if not, then it doesn't. I'm not going to get worked up about this."  
  
"That's the spirit," said Hermione. "Just remember that Harry's going to be a long road for anyone."  
  
"That's for sure. No one knows that more than me," said Ginny, rolling her eyes. "Thanks, Hermione."  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione smiled to herself, as Ginny moved to another section to find the rest of her books. _I hope Harry notices her this year, _she thought. _He needs someone to help hold himself together, and Ginny knows him so well._ She sighed. She knew he probably wouldn't do anything about it even if he did start to notice. As she told Ginny before, he'll probably need a push.  
  
Her thoughts drifted to her own situation, causing her smile to fade. She knew it shouldn't, but Ron's failure to say anything at the lake had hurt her. It had felt like rejection, and it had been a major blow to her confidence. She had been so sure the searching look he had given her was some sort of signal, but he had stepped back and hadn't said or done anything since. _Maybe he just figured out that he didn't really want anything to happen, _she thought morosely.  
  
It had certainly been business as usual lately. They had fun together, Ron teased her about her studying, and they bickered about small things more than they should. It was as if the lake had never happened.  
  
Finished with Charms, she had started looking through the Arithmancy section when she noticed a short, skinny boy casting glances at her. He looked slightly familiar, and then she remembered that he was a sixth-year Ravenclaw named Joseph. He had a bit of a reputation as quite a smart student.  
  
Joseph moved a bit closer to her, and finally spoke up. "Ahem. Aren't you Hermione Granger?" he said, a bit shyly.  
  
"Yes. You're Joseph O'Donnell, right?" said Hermione politely.  
  
He seemed pleased that she knew his name. "Yes! Of course I know you; you have the highest marks in the school. It's unusual that you're a Gryffindor and not a Ravenclaw."  
  
Hermione blushed a bit. "Well, the Sorting Hat considered me for Ravenclaw, but chose Gryffindor in the end."  
  
"I see you are looking at Arithmancy books. I take it you're planning to take advanced studies?" he said.  
  
"Yes, it's one of my favorite subjects!" said Hermione enthusiastically.  
  
"Mine, too," he said, warming to the subject. "You know, I have to say that your essay on Deblume Theory that the Professor copied onto the bulletin board was brilliant."  
  
"Oh, well, I didn't think anyone read those postings. I mean, I do, but I've never noticed anyone else reading them," she said, pleased.  
  
"I read all of your essays that get posted," he said bashfully. "I really admire your work."  
  
"That's very sweet of you to say," she said, flattered.  
  
He launched into an analysis of her Arithmancy essay, and they discussed it for several minutes. Hermione found herself enjoying the conversation, as it was rare that anyone wanted to discuss her papers with her. Ron and Harry certainly didn't.  
  
"You know, I know you get a lot of rubbish about it, but I admire your S.P.E.W. idea," said Joseph.  
  
"Really?" Hermione was a bit stunned. She almost never got positive reactions to it.  
  
"Yes. It's so obvious that it's slavery, isn't it? I think the Wizard world could learn something from the Muggle world about that. I should say that I'm muggle-born, like you. I think the wizard-borns have just lived with it for so long that they don't see the intrinsic immorality of it," said Joseph.  
  
"Yes! That's it _exactly,_" said Hermione excitedly.  
  
He seemed to grow more nervous. "Um, Hermione, next year at school, would you like to, uh, maybe study together? Sometime? You know, you and I?"  
  
Hermione's brain suddenly froze up. She wondered what he was really asking. On the one hand, it was perfectly innocent to have a study partner, but she was getting a feeling that Joseph was looking for something more. A part of her wanted to say "no," so as to not introduce any more problems into her relationship with Ron. But another part of her surged strongly. She wasn't feeling particularly wanted right then, and it was very flattering to have a boy interested in her.  
  
She was about to give him a vague answer when Ron walked up.  
  
"Hi, Hermione. Getting all your books?" he said, giving Joseph a fishy eye. "Who're you?" Ron said, somewhat rudely.  
  
"Oh! Ron, this is Joseph," Hermione said.  
  
"Hi," Ron said, frowning at him suspiciously.  
  
"Er, Hello," Joseph said nervously.  
  
"Well, better get your books, huh?" said Ron.  
  
"Uh, yeah, maybe you're right. Hermione, I better be off. I'll see you at school." Joseph scurried away.  
  
 "Ron, what's the matter with you? That was rude!" Hermione said angrily.  
  
"I didn't like the looks of that one," Ron said mulishly.  
  
"What? What was wrong with him?"  
  
"He looked – shifty," Ron said with a scowl.  
  
"He's a student at Hogwarts!"  
  
"So's Malfoy. Hermione, do I need to spell it out for you?"  
  
"Maybe you'd better," Hermione said, crossing her arms.  
  
"You-know-who could be recruiting _anybody,_" Ron said.  
  
"That's Joseph O'Donnell! He's one of Hogwart's best students!"  
  
"Riddle was one of Hogwart's best students, too! For all we know, his parents are Death Eaters!" Ron said.  
  
"His mother and father are muggles!"  
  
Ron's eyes narrowed at her. "How d'you know that?"  
  
"He told me!"  
  
"You seem to know an awful lot about this O'Donnell character," he said, annoyed.  
  
"That's it! I've had enough of this from you, Ron Weasley!" Hermione turned, looking for Joseph.  
  
"Joseph!" she called out to him. He turned from another section. "We didn't finish our conversation. Of course I would love to study with you when we get back to school," she said, and then flashed him the nicest smile she could manage.  
  
Joseph's face lit up. "Great! I'll look for you at Hogwarts," he said, giving her a wave.  
  
Hermione waved back and then glared at Ron, daring him to say anything. Ron's jaw had fallen during the exchange, and he hastily closed his mouth.  
  
"Right then," Ron said. "Well, I guess I'll go look for more of my books." He walked off, his face looking tense and unhappy.  
  
Hermione turned back to her books, trying to keep her tears from falling.  
  
* * *  
  
After paying for his books, Harry walked out of the bookshop to wait for his friends. He had decided to buy the Potions textbook just in case Snape decided to be reasonable. He didn't hold out much hope, but it didn't hurt to be prepared, just in case.  
  
He was still a bit rattled from his encounter with Parvati. She had certainly never spoken to him like that before, and he had to admit that she looked very pretty today. He gulped a bit at the memory. _Does she fancy me or something? _he wondered, a bit alarmed. He wasn't a good judge of that sort of thing, but even he had to admit that something seemed to be up.  
  
He considered Parvati. She was always nice, if a bit flighty. He hadn't really thought anything about her at all since the ball. Of course, she was a member of the D.A., and that earned her some respect in Harry's mind. She had done well enough in practicing defense.  
  
Still, without her in front of him now, he just couldn't find any attraction for her. But when she had been in front him, a part of himself had felt _very _attracted. He gulped again at the memory. _What is with me? _he thought, _I do NOT fancy Parvati. _He shook himself, trying to push Parvati out of his mind.  
  
Leaning against the wall, he had an odd feeling. He looked around and thought he saw a wizard look away suddenly. The wizard was rather tall, wearing a black hooded robe that hid his head. He was casually reading a notice pinned to a bulletin board, but Harry could have sworn the wizard had been looking at him. Mad-Eye Moody's voice seemed to yell in his head, _Constant Vigilance!  _  
  
Growing suspicious, Harry decided to try an experiment. He walked down the street a few shops, and then stopped to tie his shoe. He sneaked a look behind him, and sure enough, the wizard had followed him, maintaining his distance.  
  
Harry frowned. _It still might be a coincidence_, he thought. He continued walking, to buy time while he thought about what he should do. Every so often he would stop to look in the window of a shop, and the mysterious wizard appeared to find an excuse to stop as well. Harry felt certain the wizard was tracking his movements.  
  
Harry came to a decision, ducking into a curio shop. He moved quickly into the back of the shop, where he could watch the door unobserved. He waited several minutes. Finally he saw the wizard come up to the window and peek in. He appeared to be looking for Harry in the shop. He moved over to the door, pushing it open.  
  
There was no doubt in Harry's mind now that the wizard was after him. Adrenaline surged in him as he desperately tried to think of a plan. Suddenly a bottle containing an odd animal skull burst apart, making a loud noise. _Not accidental magic now, _he thought, peeved.  
  
The wizard started in surprise at the noise and then spotted Harry watching him. Harry bolted toward the back of the store, frantically looking for a way out. He could hear footsteps behind as the wizard gave pursuit.  
  
Harry saw a back door and quickly ran through it, breaking out into a dank alley behind the curio shop. He took off in a dead run. The backstreet was sparsely populated, but he got curious looks from some frightening looking hags. He turned down a side alley, ducking into a shadowy alcove. He waited, trying to calm his heavy breathing from running and nervousness.  
  
He saw the mysterious wizard creeping into the alley. The wizard stopped and pulled a small box out of his pocket. Waving his wand over the box, he spoke something into it. He began to wave the box around in a circular pattern. Harry couldn't see what the box did, but it appeared to indicate something to the wizard. The wizard waved the box in smaller and smaller arcs. Harry realized that the arcs were converging on his position in the alcove, somehow telling the wizard where Harry was hiding. He had only seconds before he was discovered.  
  
Harry began running again, the wizard soon following in hot pursuit. "Wait!" the wizard yelled at him. Harry ignored him. He was not going to be captured by a Death Eater that easily.__  
  
Panicking a bit, he flew open the first door he came to and ran in. It was the back of a large warehouse, stacked with a large quantity of crates. The crates were opening themselves, as merchandise floated in from another part of the building to pack themselves into the boxes.  
  
Harry ducked behind a particularly large box and waited, catching his breath. He thought about trying to stun the wizard, but he wasn't completely confident of catching the wizard off-guard. He had learned a tremendous amount over the summer, but he had precious little practice. If Harry's spell was blocked, then his position would be given away. He didn't want to risk getting into a duel. An alternative idea started to form in his head instead. _If it worked on a Troll..._  
  
He took out his wand and whispered, "_Wingardium Leviosa!" _He levitated one of the boxes up into the air and held it there. He could hear the mysterious wizard moving around, but couldn't see him. He waited anxiously for the wizard to show himself.  
  
Finally he saw the wizard walking slowly toward Harry's position, holding the strange box out in front of him. _Just a little farther, _Harry thought nervously.  
  
_Now! _Harry released the box, and it came crashing down on the wizard's head, causing him to crumple to the ground. Harry ran over to him, waving his wand as he gave an incantation. Ropes emitted from his wand, wrapping tightly around the man.  
  
Harry crept up closer, not certain if the wizard was really out. He saw the wizard's wand nearby and slipped it into a pocket in his robes. Pulling back the wizard's hood, Harry saw a strange man that he had never seen before. The wizard appeared to be knocked out.  
  
Harry was tempted to just leave the wizard where he was, but thought that he better bring him in. Someone might want to question him, and he also felt that he might need medical attention. Death Eater though he probably was, Harry didn't want to kill him.  
  
Harry levitated the body and walked out of the warehouse. With a sinking feeling, he realized that he was lost and wasn't sure how to get back to the main street. He started walking back down the way he came. The people in the alley gave him strange looks as the levitated body moved in front of him.  
  
Finally he found a side alley that looked familiar, which took him back to the main street. He started walking back toward the bookstore, hoping to find Mrs. Weasley, along with Ron, Hermione and Ginny. All he really wanted to do was pass on the responsibility of the stranger to some Aurors.  
  
He started getting more and more curious stares, and then he noticed that some people in the street were actually following him. With some chagrin, he wondered if they recognized him. Finally he saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny up ahead.  
  
"Hey!" Harry called.  
  
"Harry!" said Hermione shrilly. "Where have you been?"  
  
Ginny looked extremely worried as well. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine. This wizard was chasing me," said Harry. "I was able to knock him out and tie him up."  
  
"What!" said Ron. "Who is he? Where did he come from? Is he a Death Eater?"  
  
"I don't know," said Harry. "I just want to get rid of him. Where's your mum?"  
  
"We found her after you disappeared. She got hysterical and went to find the Aurors that are supposed to be keeping track of us," said Ron.  
  
"Aurors?" said Harry. "Tracking us?"  
  
"Of course, mate. Diagon Alley normally has a lot of beefed up security these days, but they assigned some extra detail to you."  
  
"Harry Potter!" Mrs. Weasley ran up to him, and pulled him into a desperate embrace. "What happened? Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley, really." He noticed that Mrs. Weasley wasn't alone. Two men that Harry didn't know were with her.  
  
"Harry, this is Mr. MacGregor and Mr. Blackhorn. They are Aurors providing extra security to Diagon Alley. Please tell them what happened."  
  
The two men turned their attention to Harry. "Well, uh, I noticed this wizard following me, and I ran away. He followed, and I managed to knock him out."  
  
The Aurors raised their eyebrows. "All right, Mr. Potter, let's have a look at your pursuer, here." Walking over to the wizard, they pulled back his hood. They shared a stunned look and began laughing. A groan came up from the mysterious wizard, as he began to regain consciousness.  
  
"What's so funny?" said Harry, somewhat annoyed.  
  
"Well, Mr. Potter, you managed to capture a dangerous wizard," said MacGregor. "Normally dangerous to Dark Wizards, that is. You captured an Auror who was supposed to be protecting you. We know him quite well. His name is Robert Page."  
  
Page gave another groan. "Well, Page, it isn't every day that one gets captured by Harry Potter," said Blackhorn, with a huge grin.  
  
"All right, all right, just untie me, Blackhorn. Oooh, my head," said Page, moaning.  
  
"I'm really sorry, Mr. Page," said Harry.  
  
"Don't be sorry, Mr. Potter. You did what you had to do," said Page, stepping out of the ropes. Harry handed him back his wand. "I should have identified myself once my cover was blown. That was nice work. I just wish it hadn't been against me."  
  
Harry flushed at the compliment.  
  
"Just another day in the life of a future Auror, eh, Potter?" said Blackhorn, grinning.  
  
"How did you know I wanted to be an Auror?" said Harry.  
  
All three looked at him in disbelief. "It that a joke?" said Blackhorn. "What else would you be, a ruddy filing clerk?"  
  
"Tonks told us about seeing your memory of taking on You-Know-Who in the Pensieve," MacGregor said, with some good-natured jealousy. "Wish I could have seen it for myself. Of course, everyone in the Department knows your track record. You're going to be a great Auror someday. Right, Page?" He gave Page another grin.  
  
Page looked at him sourly. "You lot are going to be merciless about this, aren't you?" he sighed. "Well, I suppose there are worse people to get captured by. This'll be a story to tell the grandchildren."  
  
Harry was burning with embarrassment at all the praise, but also felt a whole new emptiness about falling short in his Potion's OWL. He was tempted to tell the Aurors that his career option was closed, but held himself back. He had to hope that Hermione was right and somehow it would all work out.  
  
"Well, we'd better get back to duty," MacGregor said. "By the way, Potter," he continued conspiratorially, "don't worry about any underage magic usage issues. We'll make sure nothing comes to anybody's attention. Not that you should _have_ to worry about anything, but..." Anger flashed on his face for a split second, and then he smiled again.  
  
Blackhorn grew serious, looking Harry in the eye. "It was an honor meeting you, Mr. Potter. Good luck to you in the future." He shook Harry's hand solemnly. MacGregor and Page followed suit, both nodding their heads in agreement.  
  
"Mr. Potter, someday I might try and get a Firewhiskey out of you over this incident," Page said, smiling.  
  
Harry smiled back. "I'll be happy to."  
  
The three Aurors strode off.  
  
"Are you all right, Harry?" said Mrs. Weasley, concerned.  
  
"Really, Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine. Why don't you go finish your shopping? I'm sorry to have worried you," said Harry.  
  
"I do have a few more things to pick up..." said Mrs. Weasley uncertainly.  
  
"I think everything is all right now. False alarm, right? Please go ahead, and we'll meet you back at the same spot," Harry said, with what he hoped was a convincing expression. He just wanted to get the day back to normal.  
  
"Well, all right, Harry, if you're sure," she said.  
  
"I'm sure," Harry said.  
  
"I'll see you children later, then," said Mrs. Weasley, heading off.  
  
They all said goodbye and waved her off.  
  
"How about we head over and get some lunch?" said Ron. "I'm starving."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't that surprise me? But I'm getting a bit hungry myself. How about you two?"  
  
"Sounds good to me," said Ginny.  
  
"There's a restaurant right across the street from Gringotts. I need to get some money for the year. How about if I meet you at the restaurant afterward?" said Harry.  
  
"Fine by me," said Ron, and everyone nodded agreement.  
  
They walked down the street, marveling at the variety of merchandise on display. Finally they reached Gringotts and Harry split off from the group.  
  
He walked into the bank. He noticed that in addition to the normal multiple sets of doors, there seemed to be some extra security about. There were many Goblins standing around looking meaner than usual. He walked up to one of the desks and addressed a rather ugly Goblin.  
  
"I'm Harry Potter. I'd like to access my vault, please."  
  
The Goblin looked surly as he gazed over his half-moon glasses. "Potter, eh? One moment, please."  
  
The Goblin scurried away, and Harry was left alone for several minutes. Just as he was about to find someone else to help him, the Goblin returned. "There is someone who would like to speak to you. This is Garnak. He will lead you." The Goblin gestured to his right at a beefy Goblin.  
  
"Please come this way, Mr. Potter," said Garnak. He looked as if he would rather be leading sewage than Harry.  
  
"Wait, what's this all about?" said Harry, nervously. His paranoia level was very high after the events earlier in the day.  
  
Garnak looked at him with contempt. "You are perfectly safe. Minister Ragnok would like a word with you."  
  
Harry looked unconvinced, but allowed himself to be lead through a nearby door. They walked down a long tunnel that started angling down. They made a series of twists and turns, and soon Harry was hopelessly lost. He had to trust they would lead him out again.  
  
Finally they reached an ornate door. Garnak knocked on the door once and said, "Mr. Potter to see you, sir."  
  
"Enter," said a quiet voice.  
  
Harry entered a very large office, filled with magical artifacts in glass cases. At the end of the room was a large desk, with a small, gnarled Goblin behind it. He looked as if he were very old. Garnak led Harry over to the desk.  
  
"My name is Ragnok. Please have a seat, Mr. Potter." Harry sat in a chair in front of the desk. "Garnak, please leave us." Garnak left the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
"Mr. Potter, I asked to see you to discuss a very important matter. Namely, the return of Lord Voldemort."  
  
Harry looked surprised.  
  
"Yes, we dare to speak his name." Ragnok smiled. "Goblins generally agree with Dumbledore on that issue."  
  
"Why do you want to talk to me about it?" asked Harry curiously.  
  
Ragnok's expression grew grim. "Before I answer that, Mr. Potter, allow me to give you some rather inside information. You need to understand that Goblins are divided on the issue of Voldemort. Some of us actually welcome his conquering of Wizard society." His voice grew contemptuous. "Some of us believe that he will give us freedoms that the current regime denies us.  
  
"Others, such as myself, know that Voldemort only cares about his own power, and any promises he gives us are only designed to mislead and use us. Voldemort is about enslavement, not liberation."  
  
Ragnok laced his fingers. "Something else you need to know is that Voldemort is working to destabilize the Wizard world's economy. It is not entirely clear what he's doing, but there are suspicious fluctuations in the Galleon currency market." Harry's eyes began to glaze over. "Well, the details are unimportant. Just know that a war is not only fought on the battlefield, but can also be fought economically. I suspect that I have traitors within my own ranks who are making this possible for him."  
  
"Now, why am I telling you all this?" said Ragnok. "Simply put, Mr. Potter, you are key to defeating Voldemort."  
  
Harry wondered if he knew about the Prophecy.  
  
"I see that this statement doesn't seem to surprise you. I can only surmise that Dumbledore has his own sources of information. Mr. Potter, Goblins have our own brand of predictive magic, and we keep our ears very low to the ground. Your power is great – greater than I believe you know.  
  
"Frankly, there are those in the Goblin community who would like to turn you over to Voldemort. They believe that this would win great rewards. And it would – temporarily. But there are others, a majority I hope, that are prepared to put our power behind yours when the final battle is ready to be waged."  
  
Harry was trying to keep up with the flood of thoughts threatening to drown his brain. "Why tell me? Why not tell Dumbledore? He seems to know a lot more about all of this than me, frankly."  
  
Ragnok smiled. "What makes you believe I haven't? I have told all of this to Dumbledore, just recently in fact."  
  
"So why tell me as well?" asked Harry.  
  
Ragnok paused, rubbing his chin with his long fingers. "Mr. Potter, Goblin society has a long memory. As you've no doubt noticed in your studies, there have been many Goblin rebellions. There is nothing new about Wizards seizing control of magical society.  
  
"As I said, you are an exceptionally powerful wizard. If you defeat Voldemort, then what? What is to stop you from taking his place?"  
  
Harry was stunned at this. "I would never become another Voldemort!" he said emphatically.  
  
Ragnok looked gloomy. "Oh, I would not expect you would rule using the same methods. But when one has great power, one is tempted to use it. I am sure that you would use it for 'good,' as you define the word. But a good ruler is still a ruler."  
  
Harry shook his head. "I don't want to rule magical society!"  
  
"You may not have a choice. If you were faced with the fall of society, anarchy in other words, and through your power you could bring back order, would you turn away? Would you refuse?" asked Ragnok.  
  
Harry just kept shaking his head, not knowing the answer – fearing the answer.__  
  
"It may not happen that way. Our predictions are not that specific." Ragnok fixed Harry with a steady look. "But if it does, Mr. Potter, please remember who your friends were this day."  
  
Ragnok made a gesture, and Garnak quietly reentered the room. Ragnok stood up, and Harry followed suit. "It's been a pleasure, Mr. Potter. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact me." He solemnly shook Harry's hand.  
  
Garnak led him from the room and up through the maze of tunnels. Finally he arrived back in the main lobby. Still dazed from his conversation, he almost left without doing his original business. But he managed to stumble his way through the transaction, and withdrew some money from his vault.  
  
Harry walked across the street towards the restaurant. He noticed his friends sitting at an outdoor table, talking animatedly in the warm sunshine. Walking up to the table, Harry staggered into a chair. He must have looked rather haggard as they all turned to stare at him.  
  
"I'm not sure how much more I can take today," Harry said.  
  
"Bloody hell! What now?" said Ron.  
  
"Ron!" said Hermione, glaring at him. "What happened, Harry?"  
  
"Did something happen at Gringotts?" said Ginny, concerned.  
  
Harry paused, gathering his thoughts. He rubbed his temples, as if trying to massage some order into his mind. Ron passed him a Butterbeer, and Harry took a long drink.  
  
"I don't even know how to explain this. I better just tell it from the beginning."  
  
Harry went on to give a more-or-less complete account of the events at Gringotts. He was tempted to leave out the part about their fear of him ruling magical society, but found he didn't have the energy to edit his thoughts.  
  
"Whoa! Harry Potter, King of Magic!" said Ron, grinning. "Can I be a knight?"  
  
"Ron! This isn't funny!" said Hermione, glaring at him.  
  
Harry chuckled. "No, it's not. But laughing about it helps a little."  
  
Ron smirked. "Of course, we know who wants to be the Queen," casting a sideways look at Ginny. She glared dangerously at Ron, and Harry felt embarrassed and annoyed as well. Payback was in order.  
  
"Sure, Ron, you can be a knight. But who will you pick to be your lady-in-waiting?" Harry asked with a smirk of his own.  
  
Ron froze. Hermione looked a bit embarrassed, but raised her eyebrows and looked at him, waiting for his response. Ginny looked like she was fighting not to laugh out loud. Harry just waited; there would be no bailing him out this time.  
  
"Are you ready to order?" A house elf had come up to the table. "I believe you all were waiting for your friend?"  
   
Ron's face lit up. "YES! I think we are ready to order! An order of food! Right then!" He grabbed the menu, holding it upside down, but didn't seem to notice. "Fish and chips! That's the ticket. You all finish ordering, I think I'll find the toilet." With that, he ran off.  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and said below her breath, "Lucky git."  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	9. Chapter 8 No Endless Summers

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 8: No Endless Summers_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry walked into the Weasley kitchen, having slept a bit late that morning. It was the day before his return to Hogwarts, so he had stayed in bed some extra time, just to enjoy his last day of summer. He was in bright spirits, looking forward to a good breakfast.  
  
As he entered, Harry noticed everyone's face seemed grim, causing his stomach to do a flip-flop.  
  
"What's happened?" he asked nervously.  
  
Hermione looked up, an expression of deep sadness on her face. She handed him the Daily Prophet without a word. Harry read the headline and his heart sank.  
  
**_Mass Deaths Reported Across United Kingdom_**  
_By Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent_  
  
_A series of mysterious deaths were reported  yesterday among prominent magical families across the country. Details are sketchy at this time, but it is believed to be the work of You-Know-Who. Sources within the Ministry have recounted that the Dark Mark was floating over the homes of the victims, but no official confirmation has been given as yet. A complete list of the deceased is being withheld, pending notification of relatives._  
  
_With the recent events at the Ministry, it was believed to be only a matter of time before You-Know-Who began another reign of terror, based on his actions in the last war. This reporter has made numerous requests to speak to official Aurors in the Ministry regarding their plans to deal with the Dark Lord, but has been consistently rebuffed. Now that these horrific deaths have occurred, many will expect swift action to deal with this crisis._  
  
_No details have been given about exactly how they were killed, although anonymous sources have indicated that many were tortured before they were killed, and that many of the victims were entire families, including children._  
  
Harry couldn't read anymore. He stopped and rubbed his forehead. "So it's beginning."  
  
"So it would seem, Harry," said Mr. Weasley gloomily. "There were a number of my friends in the Ministry involved in those slayings."  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley," said Harry.  
  
Harry noticed Hermione, Ron and Ginny kept darting glances at him. "What? Is there something else?" he asked.  
  
"Erm, you didn't read the end, did you, Harry?" said Hermione nervously.  
  
"No..." he said slowly. _This can only be bad_, he thought.  
  
Mrs. Weasley was busy cooking breakfast, but he could see a look of worry on her face. "The Prophet is rubbish, dear," she said derisively. "I don't know why we still get that rag. Don't mind whatever it says."  
  
Hermione reached over and pointed to a paragraph toward the end of the article.  
  
_Finally, it must be asked what other options exist if the Ministry fails. Many citizens find themselves asking whether Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, has a responsibility to society to rid us of the Dark Lord. Given Potter's history, he must be a wizard of great power. Regular readers of the Prophet will recall our special report back in June of this year, where we described yet another escape from You-Know-Who by Potter. Now is the time for all good wizards to come to the aid of the country. Will he answer the desperate call from his friends and neighbors? _  
  
Harry put his head down and began thumping it on the table, over and over. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, somehow they always did.  
  
Mrs. Weasley came over and put her hand on Harry's back. "Don't worry, dear. No one believes any of that. It's not your responsibility to defeat him."  
  
Harry knew she was trying to cheer him up, but it just made him feel worse. It _was _his responsibility to defeat him. Rita Skeeter may have been trying to stir up trouble, but she had inadvertently hit the nail on the head.  
  
"I see Rita Skeeter is back at the Prophet," he said, trying to change the subject.  
  
"Yes," Hermione said darkly. "The year is up. I had hoped she had learned her lesson, but clearly not. I'm planning to write her a little letter. Don't worry, Harry, she won't be writing any more articles about you."  
  
Harry nodded, but the damage was done.  
  
"Well, I'd better head to the Ministry," said Mr. Weasley. "I need to see if I can get some information that I can report to the Order." He gave Mrs. Weasley a kiss and left with a small wave at everyone else.  
  
They finished their breakfast in silence; Harry's mood growing darker by the minute. Everyone cast glances in his direction, which only made him angrier. He knew it wasn't their fault, but he seemed unable to pull himself out of it.  
  
"Erm, how about some Quidditch practice?" asked Ron tentatively, after breakfast.  
  
"That's a good idea!" said Ginny brightly. "Come on, Harry, you don't want to let Skeeter ruin our last day of summer."  
  
Harry had to admit that a little flying sounded good. He sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right. There's nothing to be done about it now, anyway."  
  
"That's right, mate! No sense letting that cow get to us," said Ron, glad that Harry appeared to be perking up. "How about you, Hermione? We haven't been able to get you on a broom all summer."  
  
Hermione looked reluctant. "Well..."  
  
Ginny laughed. "You have to play at least once this summer. It's our last day!"  
  
"All right, then. Let me go change," Hermione said.  
  
"Great!" Ron said, his eyes lighting up. "I'll head up and get the stuff."  
  
"I'll get my broom out of the shed. Meet you all outside," Ginny said.  
  
Harry headed out of the kitchen with Ron and Hermione. He went up the stairs and retrieved his Firebolt out of his room. _Quidditch really does sound good, _he thought, his mood lightening a bit.  
  
He walked out the back door of the Burrow. It was a perfect day with the sun shining in a brilliant blue sky. The sunlight felt warm on his face, but an autumn breeze was blowing; the coolness making a nice contrast to the warmth. He walked up the hill toward the paddock where they usually played Quidditch.  
  
Breaking through the trees, he saw Ginny already in the air. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and it whipped in the wind behind her. She flew high up, did a quick turn, and then flew straight down toward the ground. Harry's breath gave a hitch, but she turned at the last second, just grazing the grass in the field at high speed.  
  
She slowed, reached down and grabbed a rock off the ground. Turning in a long sweep, Ginny put on a burst of speed toward a tree at the edge of the yard. She threw a perfect shot through a fork in the trees, and then headed straight up again. She made three quick rolls, flying up into the blue sky.  
  
Harry realized he had been staring at her. He suddenly broke loose into motion, wanting to get up in the air himself. Hopping on his Firebolt, he shot into the sky. The exhilaration he felt when flying on his broom was like nothing else. Ginny watched him come up, grinning at him. He grinned back.  
  
She shot off toward the other end of the field, Harry accelerating after her. Her old broom was no match for the speed of his Firebolt, and he soon caught up to her. He executed a spiral pattern, flying a circle around her as she flew in a straight line. He laughed, and he could see her laughing with him.  
  
Suddenly she stopped and hovered in the air. "Think you're so good, do you, Potter? See if you can catch me now," she called challengingly.  
  
She tore off into the forest, and Harry immediately gave chase. She slalomed among the trees, going at what seemed to Harry a reckless speed. He was finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with her as she made sharp turns around various trees. It occurred to him that she must have flown through these forests many times and knew all the routes much better than he did.  
  
She abruptly flew underneath some low branches, forcing Harry to slow down. He came out into a glade, and she was nowhere to be seen. He looked about wildly, his competitive instincts engaged. It might only be a silly game, but he didn't want to lose. He flew straight up, going high above the trees. He looked around and spotted her above a tree, grinning at him. He immediately took off, not intending to lose her again.  
  
She sped off as well, heading toward another meadow. _Now is my chance, _Harry thought.  
  
Harry kicked the Firebolt into maximum speed, the power of the broom almost frightening. Ginny was hunched down on her broom, the look on her face telling him that she was struggling to squeeze out more speed. She was trying to make it to the end of the glade and back to the forest where she knew she had more of an advantage.  
  
Harry came up alongside her and gripped tightly the end of her broom. He slowed down, the brakes of the Firebolt far superior to the broom Ginny was riding. She desperately tried to veer off, but Harry held firm, slowing the broom and pushing them down toward the grass below.  
  
Finally they were just above the grass, moving relatively slowly, but Harry couldn't get her all the way down. Her broom was threatening to tear itself out of his grip. There was only one way. He let go of the broom and wrapped his arms around her. Ginny screamed with laughter as he pulled both of them down to the ground.  
  
They rolled over and over on the soft grass, before landing in a heap with each other. Harry and Ginny laughed loudly.  
  
Harry rolled over and found himself on top of her, looking down at her face. Her hair had come out of its hair tie, and was splayed behind her head on the grass. Her face was flushed, and she was breathing heavily from the exercise.  
  
She looked up at him, her face very close to his. Their laughter tapered off as they both seemed to realize where they were.  
  
Some part of Harry's mind was telling him to roll off of her, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to move. He looked down at her chocolate brown eyes as their breathing started to settle down. Ginny had a slight smile on her face as she gazed back at him. There was a long silence as they just looked at each other.  
  
"You caught me..." she whispered. The tone of her voice sent a shiver running down his spine.  
  
"Yeah..." he said, his own voice quiet as well. _What do I win? _he thought, a little voice in him piping up. The stray thought caused some heat to start climbing up his neck.  
  
Harry's emotions were roiling inside him. Suddenly he felt extremely shy; fear and confusion rose up in him. He couldn't deal with these new feelings.  
  
He tore his eyes away from hers, trying to bring himself back under control. Reluctantly, he slowly rolled off of her. He turned away from her, ostensibly looking for his Firebolt, but unable to really concentrate. He heard the rustle of grass as Ginny got up as well. All of his senses seemed to be acutely aware of her.  
  
She lightly touched his arm. "Harry? Are you all right?" she asked in a soft, slow voice. Goosebumps rose on his skin at her touch.  
  
Harry was feeling anything but all right. He turned around, but couldn't bring himself to look directly at her. His knees shook with nervousness. He forced a tiny smile to his face and tried desperately not to think about what had just happened.  
  
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. This was... really fun, Ginny. But maybe we should head back." He had a sudden thought, bringing his brain back into some operation. "Ron and Hermione! They're waiting for us. We'd better get back before they start worrying."  
  
Ginny grinned. "Yeah, or they might start doing – other things by themselves," she said, giving Harry a teasing look. Harry felt his brain starting to freeze up again, so he started looking for his Firebolt while he still could.  
  
Spotting the two brooms not far away, he started walking over to them, his thoughts incoherent. He picked up the two brooms and walked back to Ginny, still trying not to look at her. He shyly handed over her broom.  
  
"Thanks," she said, smiling.  
  
"Shall we go?" he asked, trying to hide his nervousness.  
  
They mounted their brooms and took off. Harry felt the tension starting to leave him as he made a few dives and turns. They were soon back in the Quidditch paddock.  
  
"Oi!" Ron called out. "Where've you two been?"  
  
"Erm, we just flew around the forest for a bit," Harry said, hoping no one would ask too many questions.  
  
"Yeah. Harry was flying a little too slow, so I decided to show him how it was done," Ginny said, laughing.  
  
"Oh, is that so?" Harry said, starting to recover a bit. He grinned. "Well, we'll just see about that, Miss Weasley."  
  
Hermione flew up awkwardly toward them. "Ugh. I'm glad flying is not an OWL subject," she said.  
  
* * *  
  
Ginny sat in her room, brushing her hair, getting ready for bed. Hermione was propped up on her portable bed, reading a book.  
  
Hermione appeared to be distracted, as she kept glancing at Ginny and then back to her book. Finally, she carefully put a bookmark at her page and placed the book on the night table.  
  
"All right, Ginny. You don't have to tell me, but I'm dying to know. What happened today? Harry seemed very strange after you two got back."  
  
Ginny looked guarded for several seconds, but then relaxed. "Okay. I'll tell you if you tell me what's been going on with you and Ron."  
  
Hermione sighed. "All right; that's fair. And anyway, it _would _be nice to talk about it."  
  
"Well, Harry and I were flying around, just having fun. We were playing a little game of chase through the forest. He caught up to me, and we sort of fell to the grass together," Ginny said, a bit embarrassed. "And, er, Harry ended up on top of me."  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Really?"  
  
"Nothing happened!" Ginny said quickly. "But – Hermione, do you remember when you said that Harry is either hidden or obvious? Well, he seemed sort of both today."  
  
"How do you mean?" Hermione said, giggling a bit.  
  
"We just sort of looked at each other for a while, and – oh, Hermione, it was all I could do not to grab him and kiss him right there," Ginny said.  
  
"What did you do instead?" Hermione said.  
  
"Erm, I flirted with him a little bit, just to see how he would react. And it seemed to do something, but it's so hard to tell with Harry. It's hard to know if I'm just talking myself into believing that this is going somewhere, or if it really is," Ginny said, with a bit of frustration.  
  
Ginny's face took on a forlorn expression. "Why did this have to be our last day?" she said. "Things seem to be going so well lately. Once we get back to Hogwarts, we'll hardly see each other. And –"  
  
"And what?" Hermione said.  
  
Ginny bit her lip. "I hate to sound so pathetic, Hermione. But, if something really is happening, right now I have him here to myself. When we go off to Hogwarts, there are a lot of other girls he could find interest in." Ginny gritted her teeth. "And we _definitely _know that certain other girls are interested in _him_."  
  
Hermione smiled at her. "I wouldn't worry about that. Let's face it – Harry isn't the playboy type. Don't count yourself so short. If Harry is developing some feelings here, he's developing them for _you_, not because you happen to be conveniently available this summer.  
  
"And anyway, you _will _see him this year. At the very least, you'll have Quidditch practice together and D.A. meetings," Hermione said.  
  
Ginny sighed. "I almost wonder if I should have done something today. But I just couldn't. If something is going to happen, he has to make the first move. I need to know that it's _his _idea."  
  
Hermione nodded. "I stand by what I said before; you must be doing something right if Harry is reacting like this. And I also stand by that it's going to be a long road, no matter what. I know it's difficult, but try not to get frustrated with him."  
  
"Yeah. But let me tell you, having those green eyes staring down at you, in that position,  is... frustrating, to say the least," Ginny said, snickering.  
  
"Ginny!" said Hermione.  
  
"Well! He looked... really good, after flying and all. I thought my heart was going to give out, having him _right there_..." Ginny said, her eyes growing a bit dreamy.  
  
She suddenly put her hands over her face, shook herself, and groaned. "Oh God, listen to me. Honestly, Hermione, I'm feeling kind of afraid of the whole thing. I feel like I'm getting emotionally involved again and setting myself up for another disappointment."  
  
"What do your instincts tell you?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Well, something is different. He's certainly never acted like this before, so I suppose that's something. I just don't want to get my hopes up," Ginny said.  
  
"So far you seem to be doing okay. I think you should just concentrate on being his friend and make sure you keep a life outside of him. Your flirting didn't seem to hurt anything, if his sneaking looks at you during Quidditch today was any indication," Hermione said, giggling.  
  
"He was not," Ginny said, embarrassed.  
  
"Why do you think I asked about all this?" Hermione said. "But you're probably right about one thing. Harry is easily distracted, and he's probably going to have a lot on his plate this year at Hogwarts. Don't be surprised if his attention, well, wanders."  
  
"Thanks, Hermione. So, speaking of frustrating, what's going on with my thick-headed brother?" Ginny asked.  
  
Hermione got a sour look on her face.  
  
"Going that well?" Ginny said with a giggle.  
  
"Frustrating is the right word, I suppose. I wish I knew what was going through that head of his, but I just don't," Hermione said, sighing.  
  
Hermione continued. "One day we went down to the lake, and he started digging around about what was going on with Viktor. I told him that nothing was going on, and in fact I wasn't even writing to him anymore. That seemed to make Ron happy, but then ... nothing."  
  
Ginny frowned. "That git. Hermione, there is no doubt in my mind that he fancies you. I think he just... doesn't know what to do."  
  
"Well, that's not the end of the story. When we were in the bookshop buying our books, I started talking to a boy from Hogwarts." Hermione paused. "Um, I think he might have been interested in me, but I'm not sure," she said shyly.  
  
"Ooooh, who?" asked Ginny, leaning forward.  
  
"Joseph O'Donnell. He's in my year, in Ravenclaw," Hermione said.  
  
"Hmm. Don't think I know him," Ginny said.  
  
"He asked me if I wanted to study together next year. Anyway, Ron came up and was rather rude to him. I got angry and told Joseph, in front of Ron, that I'd be happy to study with him next year."  
  
"I see," said Ginny.  
  
"I shouldn't have done it, Ginny, but Ron just made me so mad. And the worst part of it is that I don't know if this jealousy of his is from some sort of feelings he's trying to sort out, or he's just trying to be protective, or what. All I know is that I'm tired of it. First Viktor and now Joseph," Hermione said, aggravated.  
  
"Honestly, Hermione, I thought for sure he would have sorted it out by now, but his head is even thicker than I thought," Ginny said.  
  
"I could handle a little jealousy if he would step up himself, but if he's not going to do anything, then why should I wait for him?" Hermione said angrily, but then calmed herself. "Oh, Ginny, I guess I don't mean that. But these mixed signals he sends out are driving me mad."  
  
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Please, no, Ginny. I don't want to force him into anything. Whatever happens, I don't want our friendship to suffer. But –" Hermione paused, looking bashful. "I'm 16 next month. It would be nice to go out with a boy, do you know what I mean?"  
  
Ginny nodded. "Believe me, Hermione, I know exactly what you mean, from when I got tired of waiting around for Harry. Honestly, I'm surprised you've waited this long. Maybe that's part of the problem. Ron doesn't feel all that much pressure to make a move, although you'd think a bit of snogging would be motivation enough for him," she said, grinning.  
  
"Ginny!" said Hermione.  
  
"All I'm saying is that maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to go out a few times. I mean, not to make Ron jealous, but to have some fun. It's like what you said with me and Harry – be his friend, but have a life outside of him, too. No reason for you to sit around waiting for him."  
  
"Yes, I suppose I should take my own advice," Hermione said, sighing.  
  
"That's the spirit. What is wrong with these boys that we love, anyway?" Ginny said, rolling her eyes and looking at the thin wall that separated her and Harry.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry laid in bed, looking up at his ceiling. He was tired from the eventful day, but was finding it difficult to fall asleep. His head was buzzing with too many thoughts. The Burrow was silent now, although he had heard a lot of talking before through the wall from Hermione and Ginny.  
  
The Quidditch practice had been fun this afternoon, but he soon found himself thinking again about the article in the Daily Prophet. He felt a stab of guilt about all the people who had died. He knew it wasn't directly his fault, but somehow that wasn't a comfort when he knew that ultimately he had to defeat Voldemort.  
  
The biggest question in his mind was, how would he know when he was ready? He supposed that Professor Dumbledore would help him to know the right time, but he felt frustrated that he didn't understand the bigger plan to everything.  
  
He sighed as he rolled onto his side, looking at the moon through his window. _How many more people are going to die while I get ready? _he thought morosely.  
  
Harry's thoughts drifted to the scene in the meadow earlier that morning. An image of Ginny's face rose in his head, her words _"You caught me" _whispering in his mind and making him shiver again.  
  
Images of Ginny through the summer floated into his mind. Harry smiled as he recalled seeing her in the Burrow's yard, reading her romance novel. He remembered her looks of concentration as they practiced Quidditch during the summer.  
  
His smile faded as he saw her standing with him, holding his hand in the Pensieve as they watched his parents and himself as an infant. His thoughts of her were triggering odd, strong emotions he couldn't identify, conflicting with his image of her held for so many years. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, feeling confused.  
  
For reasons he didn't understand, his thoughts moved to Parvati, as an image of her came back to him from the bookshop. He hadn't really thought about her since that time, but he suddenly realized that going back to Hogwarts meant dealing with whatever was up with her.  
  
_Could she really fancy me?_ he thought, baffled and embarrassed. He hadn't a clue why she would be interested in him. He had to admit she looked very pretty in the bookshop, but couldn't find any interest in her. _I'll have to try and avoid her for a while, _he thought.  
  
He sighed again and pushed all the thoughts out of his head. It was far too complicated to figure out any of these feelings. All he knew right now was that all his problems felt bigger than he was.  
  
Harry gave a huge yawn as he finally fell asleep...  
  
* * *  
  
_Harry walked through a field of red and gold flowers, the bright sunshine streaming down between white, puffy clouds. The air was warm with a clean smell, and he felt a sense of peace and freedom as the field stretched seemingly forever._  
  
_He felt soft hands placed on his shoulders. He turned around, and Parvati Patil was standing before him with a sultry smile. He felt a shyness come over him. She was standing very close._  
  
_"You're so brave, Harry," she said seductively. "What would you like to teach me this year? I'm so looking forward to your lessons."_  
  
_Harry shook with nervousness, as her hands gently stroked his arms. He closed his eyes; it felt so good to be touched. He could sense her moving closer, as her hands slowly slid under his arms and around his back. She kissed his cheek, and pulled him close to her. He could feel her fingernails running down his spine, sending a thrill through his body._  
  
_He put his arms around her as well and could feel her long, soft hair. He couldn't seem to bring himself to open his eyes. He was afraid that if he looked, it might all end. It was so wonderful and so strange to hold and be held by someone. He buried his fingers in her hair, enjoying the luxurious feel. He took a deep breath; her hair smelled good._  
  
_He could feel her mouth moving from his cheek to his ear, her hot breath exciting him._  
  
_"Does it feel good, Harry?" she whispered in his ear._  
  
_He nodded. He couldn't bring himself to speak._  
  
_"Tell me something... did it feel good? Tell me how it felt." Her voice had taken on a strange tone that he couldn't identify._  
  
_Harry stiffened, puzzled at the question. What did she mean? Suddenly he felt afraid, and he pulled her closer. He needed to be held. She pulled him tighter as well, and he could feel her fingers massaging the tension in his shoulder muscles. Harry began to relax again. He didn't understand her question, so he ignored it, reveling in her touch._  
  
_"Harry..." she said breathlessly. "I need to know..."_  
  
_"What?" he finally whispered, not wanting to talk, just wanting the touching, the contact... _  
  
_"What did it feel like..." He could hear her excitement. "What did it feel like to cast the Cruciatus curse?"_  
  
_Harry's eyes snapped open and he pushed her away. She began laughing at him, and to his horror he saw Bellatrix Lestrange in front of him. A feeling of revulsion ran through him._  
  
_"Did Baby Potter enjoy touching me? Do you like girls, Potter? Would you like – more?" she said, taking a step forward. Harry backed away in a panic, tripping over his own feet. He fell to the ground as Bellatrix laughed again at him._  
  
_"Don't be too quick to run away, Potter. After all, what other girl would want you? Who would want to get killed by you? Do you think they will be proud of you for casting Unforgivable Curses?" she said mockingly._  
  
_Harry got up and started running, her words burning him. Through the flowered fields he ran, with no thought to where he would end up. The field of flowers ended, as he reached a barren, rocky area. The ground started to slope down, and he ran between large rocks into a small valley. He stopped, stunned, as he saw a long line of gray, grim-faced people. They were chained together, marching slowly through a narrow passage in the rocks._  
  
_He ran along the line, somehow needing to know where they were all heading. He pushed his way past them through the passage, which opened into a barren canyon with high rocky cliffs. There didn't seem to be a way out._  
  
_He ran past more of the anonymous people and then suddenly stopped, recognizing one. It was Hermione._  
  
_"Hermione! Hermione, why are you here?" Harry asked desperately. Hermione kept marching, her eyes dead, staring straight ahead. She gave no answer. Harry shook her arm, but she seemed not to notice._  
  
_He continued running up the line, finally seeing the end. He slowed down as he saw Lord Voldemort at the front of the line, grinning evilly. He was killing the people in the line, one by one. Bellatrix came up behind Voldemort and smiled at Harry._  
  
_"Ah, Potter, so good of you to join us," said Voldemort. "How do you like my queue? It's very efficient, isn't it? A line of mudbloods who shall not offend me with their presence any longer." His high-pitched laughter seared Harry's ears._  
  
_"Stop!" Harry screamed._  
  
_"And what will you do about it? Ah yes, I forgot. The lovely prophecy. It's your job to stop me, isn't it, Potter?" He continued picking off the people in the line, one by one. Their bodies crumpled and fell into a mass grave next to Voldemort._  
  
_Harry looked down the line, spotting Hermione getting closer._  
  
_"All these people dying and you're doing nothing to stop it. Your friend is getting closer. But really, Potter, what would your friend think if she knew that you cast an Unforgivable Curse? Perhaps you're more like us than you believe," Voldemort said mockingly._  
  
_"You enjoyed it, didn't you, Potter?" said Bellatrix. "Don't deny it; I saw the pleasure in your eyes. Why else would you cast it unless you wanted to? And if you did it once, you will do it again."_  
  
_Harry pulled his wand._  
  
_"Yes, Potter, here I am. Do it again. I'm right here," said Bellatrix, stepping up to him, and opening up her arms. "If you do it again, maybe we'll stop." Voldemort laughed, amused. Harry gripped his wand tightly, feeling an overwhelming hatred._  
  
_"Yes, Potter... that's right..." she said in a low voice. She licked her lips._  
  
_He looked at the line; Hermione was almost at the front. He needed to act. He raised his wand..._  
  
_A quiet voice spoke up. "Harry, it's all right." Ginny had appeared next to him. Her gentle voice soothed his anger. "You can save them. I know you can."_  
  
_Harry looked at her. She was smiling and looking up at him with her bright, brown eyes. She reached up and cupped his face in her warm, soft hands..._  
  
* * *  
  
"Harry, Harry, it's all right. Wake up..." Harry's eyes opened. Someone was speaking to him. He looked around, disoriented. He saw Ginny in her nightdress, on her knees next to his bed.  
  
"Ginny?" he said vaguely. His heart was racing, and he was breathing heavily.  
  
"Yes, Harry. You were having a nightmare. I heard you from my room. It's all right now, it was just a dream."  
  
Harry put his hands over his face and groaned.  
  
"Was it a bad one?" Ginny said with concern.  
  
Harry nodded under his hands. "It was... bad. It was... I can't talk about it."  
  
Ginny nodded. "I know. I know exactly what you mean." She reached over and began stroking his hair. "But it's all right now."  
  
Harry felt himself calming from her touch. "Was I that loud?" he asked, embarrassed.  
  
She smiled. "Yes, a bit loud. But don't worry; no one else heard. It's just that my bed is against the wall where your bed is against the wall. And after all, I owed you one, didn't I?" she said, chuckling.  
  
"I suppose so," he said, smiling back. "Actually, you came in at a good time. I really didn't want to see where this dream was going next." A silence descended between them, as Harry calmed his heart and breathing. He felt a bit embarrassed by her touching his hair, but he didn't want her to stop.  
  
"Hogwarts tomorrow, huh?" he finally said.  
  
"Yes. Back to Hogwarts tomorrow," she replied in a soft voice.  
  
Harry sighed and turned over onto his side, facing Ginny. He could see her eyes gleaming in the low moonlight of the room.  
  
"It's been – some summer, hasn't it?" he said. Her hand was still stroking his hair.  
  
"Yes. Funny that our first night and last night had nightmares," she said, with a small smile.  
  
"Yeah..." Harry felt himself growing sleepy. "Ginny?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How did you – get past your nightmares?"  
  
Ginny looked thoughtful. "The first summer was the worst. Fred and George would hear me, and they would come in and stay with me until I went to sleep again. I suppose knowing they would be there for me helped me to go to sleep at night."  
  
Harry closed his eyes, the lids feeling incredibly heavy. "It must be nice to know you have such a supportive family."  
  
"You know, Harry, I–we're here for you, too. You aren't alone," Ginny said.  
  
Harry nodded under her hand. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Ginny?"  
  
"Yes, Harry?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Thank you – for everything this summer." He let out a long breath and closed his eyes again. Harry drifted off to sleep, not hearing her response.  
  
Later in the night, he awoke again and looked around. Ginny had left sometime after he fell asleep. He rolled onto his back, looking at the ceiling. He reached up and felt where Ginny had touched him. He felt a pang of disappointment that she was gone.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks once again to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. This is probably a good time to also thank everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Believe me, when the words aren't flowing well, it's nice to know that there are people out there enjoying it. Your criticisms are also really helpful in improving my writing. One of the neat things about writing fan fiction is the immediate feedback, and it's greatly appreciated._  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	10. Chapter 9 Back to Hogwarts

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 9: Back to Hogwarts_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry walked about his room gathering his belongings, feeling a bit melancholy. He was packing his trunk in preparation for the return to Hogwarts, but unlike his previous years, he was feeling gloomy about leaving the Weasleys' home. He looked at his Pensieve sitting on his desk, reflecting on the eventful summer.  
  
For the first time, the Weasleys' house had really felt like a home to him. All his life Harry had wished for a place like this, where he felt comfortable and wanted. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone far out of their way to make him feel like he belonged, and he appreciated it more than they could ever know. Harry wished he could help them out financially, but knew there was no way they would ever accept it.  
  
As he carefully packed his Pensieve into his trunk, he pondered on the other factor that made him want to stay. Returning to Hogwarts meant returning to the reality of his life. Although he had felt burdened by his problems during the summer, the Burrow had felt like an oasis where his troubles were an issue for another day.  
  
He knew that when he returned to the school, he would start getting all the attention and all the looks that he got every year, except this year would be even worse with all the events at the Ministry. He wasn't certain what the reaction would be, but it was sure to get him even more unwanted attention.  
  
Of course, he also had to deal with the fact that he would be unable to take advanced Potions. He had thought about at least asking Snape for permission to take the class, even though he was certain Snape would turn him down. It was worth a shot, at least.  
  
He sighed as he packed the last of his clothes into his trunk and closed the lid. He put his Firebolt next to the trunk so that it would be ready to go.  
  
Looking at his broom reminded him of Quidditch practice this summer. Ron's new broom from last year had performed well, but Harry could tell Ginny was frustrated by her old broom's lack of performance. The previous season had been hard on it, and it tended to shudder and list when pushed too hard. She didn't say anything, of course, since she was used to her family's lack of money. Harry knew she would never complain about it.  
  
An idea had started forming in his head when Mrs. Weasley bellowed up the stairs. "Hurry up you lot! Come down to breakfast, or you're going to be late for the train!"  
  
The yell shook him out of his reverie and into action. He started walking through his door, but just as his body crossed the threshold, a loud _fwoom _sounded and he had an odd feeling as if a wind had just blown through his body.  
  
He stopped, wondering what had just happened as he stood in the corridor outside the bedroom. Just then, Ginny walked out of her own room. She suddenly stopped, eyes wide, and pointed at him.  
  
"Harry! Look at yourself!" she managed to say, before she broke down in a cascade of loud laughter.  
  
Harry looked down at himself and saw that he had red and gold stripes spiraling down his body. He looked like a giant Gryffindor barber pole.  
  
Hermione came out of the Ginny's room as Ron came down the stairs. "What's all the commotion abo–" Ron abruptly cut off, stunned at the sight of Harry. He started laughing hysterically, dropping to the floor holding his stomach.  
  
Hermione had her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh, but was failing miserably. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, but..." Her words collapsed into giggles. Harry burned with embarrassment.  
  
Ron pulled himself together long enough to say, "H – Harry, I just need a little off the top and the sides..." and then collapsed into laughter again, rolling on the floor. Ginny and Hermione laughed even louder. Harry had to admit it was pretty funny and started laughing himself.  
  
"W – Wait, what's that?" said Ginny, trying to stifle her laughter. She reached around Harry and pulled off a note stuck to Harry's back. She read the note out loud.  
  
_Dear Harry,_  
  
_We figured that once you were moved out, our promise of a safe room was fulfilled. Besides, we were very_ _disappointed that our first little surprise wasn't as fun for you as it should have been. We felt it was our duty to make it up to you. No need to thank us; it was our pleasure._  
  
_Good luck in your sixth year. Some advice: No OWLs and no NEWTs means lots of troublemaking opportunity. We highly recommend taking advantage of it. We may send a few interesting prototypes to you this year._  
  
_Love Always,_  
  
_Fred and George_  
  
"All right, all right," said Harry, chuckling. He pulled out his wand. "_Finite Incantatem," _he said, hoping that Fred and George hadn't made the spell too difficult to remove. They appeared to have taken some pity on him as the spell disappeared without incident.  
  
Ron finally got up off the floor, and they all headed downstairs, still snickering at intervals. Although he wouldn't say that he was glad to be hit by one of Fred and George's pranks, it did manage to lighten Harry's mood. He was feeling much more cheerful about getting on to Hogwarts.  
  
They walked into the kitchen, and Harry was surprised to see Bill, Charlie and the Twins waiting for them. He hadn't seen Bill and Charlie since the party, although Fred and George had visited fairly often, usually to get some of Mrs. Weasley's cooking.  
  
"Bill! Charlie!" Ginny ran over and gave them both huge hugs as they grinned at everyone.  
  
"Hey, what about us?" said Fred indignantly.  
  
"Yeah, don't we rate a hug?" said George.  
  
"Oh, I see you two all the time. But come here anyway," said Ginny, smiling and giving them each a hug as well.  
  
They all exchanged greetings as they settled in at the breakfast table. Mrs. Weasley had created a huge spread, as if she wanted them to be able to survive a famine on the way to King's Cross.  
  
"Hi, Harry," said Fred, grinning. "Get everything packed up this morning?"  
  
"Hope your stay in our old room was – comfortable," said George, grinning as well.  
  
"Yes, very comfortable," said Harry, keeping a straight face. "Packed everything up this morning, no problems. Ready to head to Hogwarts."  
  
Fred and George showed identical frowns. "No – er, problems?" said Fred.  
  
"Nope! Thanks for asking, though," said Harry. Finally he couldn't keep his face straight and began laughing. Ron, Hermione and Ginny started laughing as well. "All right, maybe a small problem," Harry said.  
  
The twins started laughing. "Nice one, Harry. You had us going," said George.  
  
Harry began to dig into his food enthusiastically as Mr. Weasley was talking to Bill.  
  
"I thought you were back in Egypt?" Mr. Weasley said.  
  
"Gringotts called me back for a special investigation," Bill said. "The Goblins are concerned about Galleon inflation, or some such." Harry got the impression that he didn't think it was a serious issue. "I'm not certain what they expect me to do about it. I'm not an economist, I'm a curse breaker." Bill seemed a bit annoyed about the whole business.  
  
"Have they filled you in on your assignment yet at all?" Charlie asked.  
  
"No. It's all very hush-hush over there. Ragnok is worried about something, that's for sure," Bill said.  
  
Harry's conversation with Ragnok came back to his mind. He almost spoke up and told them what Ragnok had told him, but Harry didn't want to get into the whole business again. He noticed Ron, Hermione and Ginny giving him a look, and he shook his head slightly at them.  
  
They finished their breakfast chatting animatedly. "How are we getting to King's Cross, Dad?" Ron asked through a mouthful of food.  
  
"Ministry car. It should be getting here very soon, in fact," Mr. Weasley said.  
  
Harry was pretty certain that was the case, since Mrs. Weasley was getting more and more fidgety as the time approached to leave. "Now you children have everything, don't you? You didn't forget anything?" she said, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"Honestly, Mum. Everything is under control," said Ginny.  
  
Harry caught Fred's eye and cocked his head to toward the living room. Harry got up, trying to act casual as he walked out of the kitchen. He could see Fred nudge George, and they soon joined him.  
  
"What's up, Harry?" said Fred.  
  
Harry started to feel embarrassed, wondering if his idea was really a good one. _Well, too late to back out now, _he thought.  
  
"Well," he started, looking around to make certain no one could overhear, "I have a little mission for you two."  
  
Fred and George grinned. "We're your men! What do you need?" said George.  
  
"Ginny's old broom is rubbish. I'd like you to pick up a new broom and send it to Hogwarts. I'll pay for it, but say it was from you," said Harry.  
  
The twins looked at each other, eyes wide, their eyebrows shooting up their forehead in surprise. Two grins slowly crawled across their faces as they seemed to exchange some unspoken conversation.  
  
"Really?" said Fred, smirking.  
  
"You want to buy Ginny a little gift, is that the rub?" said George.  
  
"That's quite nice of you, Harry," said Fred.  
  
"Yes, _very_ nice," said George. "In fact, a little nicer than we might have expected."  
  
"Is there any _reason _we should know about for this sudden generosity?"  
  
Harry felt his ears starting to heat up, but he fought to stay casual. "No big reason. You know, she needs a broom. For the Quidditch team. This year," Harry said tensely.  
  
"Certainly, Harry, no problem. We'll find the right broom for her," said George.  
  
"You can count on us," said Fred, grinning at his brother again.  
  
"Give us a few days and Ginny will get a special little owl," said George.  
  
Ginny walked into the room. "Hi, boys. Plotting something?" she said teasingly.  
  
"No!" said Harry loudly, before he could control himself. Fred and George rolled their eyes.  
  
"Nothing, little sis," said Fred. "Harry was just telling us how Gryffindor is going to cream the Quidditch competition this year."  
  
"Yeah, no contest, right, Harry?" said George.  
  
Harry nodded, not trusting himself to say anything else.  
  
"After all, with Harry, Ron and you, how can they lose, right?" said Fred.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so..." Ginny said, looking suspiciously at the three boys.  
  
"We have a feeling this is going to be a big year for you, Gin," said George, grinning at Fred.  
  
"Yep. In more ways than one," said Fred, glancing at Harry.  
  
"What are you two gits talking about?" said Ginny, annoyed.  
  
"Nothing, nothing," said George, smirking  
  
"Let's just say we'll be watching this year with great interest," said Fred, wearing an identical smirk.  
  
"OWLs, Quidditch... potential _other, _um, involvements... a busy year on tap, wouldn't you say, Fred?" said George.  
  
"Definitely, George. Can't wait to see how things, shall we say, come together?" said Fred.  
  
"I have no idea what you two are babbling about, and I don't have time to figure it out," said Ginny. "Mum wants us to bring everything downstairs."  
  
Harry, for his part, was about terminal with embarrassment. "Erm, I guess I'll head up, then," he said, grateful for the excuse to end the conversation.  
  
As he headed up the stairs, his embarrassment turned into irritation. _Bloody hell, someone can't even just buy a broom around here, _he grumbled. _It doesn't mean anything. She just needs a new broom. What do Fred and George think they're playing at?_  
  
Soon everyone had their trunks downstairs, ready for the trip to King's Cross. Mrs. Weasley asked everyone at least three more times if anything was forgotten, until the Ministry cars showed up.  
  
A large limousine-style car pulled up to the Weasley house, and two large men got out of the car. Harry couldn't hear what they said to Mr. Weasley, but Harry suspected they might be Aurors.  
  
They all loaded up their trunks and animals into the car, and started the journey to King's Cross. The cars were very large and comfortable; a far cry from the Muggle taxis Harry took in his fourth year.  
  
They soon arrived at their destination, and began unloading their luggage, preparing to enter King's Cross station. Just as Harry was wondering if any Aurors were watching them as they did last year, a young girl walked up to Harry and winked at him.  
  
"Wotcher, Harry!" said the girl.  
  
"Er, Tonks?" said Harry cautiously.  
  
"Right in one! How old do you think I look?" said Tonks.  
  
"Well, I'm not a good judge, but maybe, ten? A bit tall, though," said Harry, smiling.  
  
"It's a new disguise I'm trying out. I like to mix them up so I don't get too predictable," she said.  
  
Tonks looked around. "Mad-Eye is securing the area. He didn't want you to go through the barrier until he'd scouted the whole area – twice," she said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly. Caution is a good thing, but sometimes that man..."  
  
Just then, Mad-Eye Moody and Remus Lupin walked up to the group. Mad-Eye was wearing his porter's cap over his large blue eye.  
  
"Hello, Molly," he said, also nodding at the teenagers. "I think everything is in order. Remus and I have checked the area and nothing seems suspicious."  
  
"Hello, everyone," said Lupin.  
  
"Hi Professor! Er, I mean, Remus," Harry said, delighted to see him.  
  
Lupin smiled at him. "Hello, Harry. Did you have a good summer?"  
  
"Yes, it was fine, although it'll be good to be back at Hogwarts," said Harry.  
  
Mrs. Weasley was looking nervously at the time. "All right now, everyone through the barrier," she said, making a "hurry" gesture with her hand.  
  
Each waited until no one was looking and then casually entered the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Once they were all through, the warning whistle blew from the train.  
  
"Right then, make sure you owl me regularly, and _be careful_," Mrs. Weasley said sternly, before she gave her customary hugs.  
  
Harry shook everyone's hand and ended with Lupin.  
  
"Remember what I said, Harry. If you need anything..." said Lupin.  
  
"I'll remember. I'll try and send you some letters, too," said Harry.  
  
"That would be wonderful, Harry," said Lupin, beaming.  
  
"Erm, we need to head to the Prefect's Car, Harry," said Ron nervously.  
  
"All right. I'll save you seats, then," said Harry, too upbeat about going to Hogwarts to worry about their Prefect duties.  
  
"We'll see you in a little bit," said Hermione, waving.  
  
Ron and Hermione wandered off, dragging their trunks and carrying Crookshanks and Pigwidgeon.  
  
"Uh, were you going to ride with us, Ginny?" said Harry. He wasn't certain if she wanted to ride with her friends this year. He didn't want to ride by himself.  
  
"Sure," she said. "Maybe we can even find Neville and Luna again," said Ginny.  
  
"Come to think of it, I promised to sit with them. Let's go," said Harry.  
  
They climbed aboard the train, Harry holding Hedwig in one hand, and dragging his trunk with the other. They peered through the glass in each compartment, looking for Neville and Luna. Harry noticed he was getting his usual stares and whispers as he moved through the train. He wondered if people at least didn't think he was a madman this year.  
  
Finally they found Neville and Luna sitting alone in a compartment. They slid the door open and pulled their trunks inside.  
  
"Hi Neville! Hi Luna!" said Ginny brightly.  
  
Neville was holding his toad Trevor, and, as usual, the toad appeared to be trying to escape. They all exchanged greetings and got caught up on the news of the summer.  
  
"Look at this, Harry!" said Neville excitedly. He pulled out his wand. "Brand new wand from Ollivanders. I can't wait to try it. Ol' Ollivander said it was a very powerful wand, and it chose me!"  
  
Luna told them of her trip to Sweden that summer. "As you know, daddy and I went on expedition to catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."  
  
Harry recalled Hermione's opinion of her trip. "Er, did you catch one?"  
  
"No," she said, her oddly protuberant eyes staring at him. "But we came very close. Our guides even taught us the proper call." She suddenly put her hands to her mouth, and made a loud noise that sounded like, "CAW ICK ICK CAW SQUAWK."  
  
Harry blinked. "Er, yeah. That's great," he said, glancing at Ginny. She had her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles.  
  
Some time later, Harry said, "I think I'll find the toilet. I'll be right back."  
  
He opened the car down and went down the aisle. After doing his business, he decided to buy some snacks for everyone in the car. Harry walked down the train corridor, looking for the food cart. Suddenly a car door opened, and Parvati leaped out.  
  
"Harry! How are you?" she said brightly. She laced her arm through his possessively and pulled him into the car with her. "We have some room in here! Come in and sit down!"  
  
"But... I..." Harry said, trying unsuccessfully to pull away.  
  
Still wrapped around his arm, Parvati pulled him down next to her in the car, sitting very close to him. Also in the car were Lavender, Seamus and Dean.  
  
Harry sighed, figuring it wouldn't hurt to stay for a few minutes.  
  
"Hello, Seamus, Lavender, Dean," he said politely. Something about Dean was trying to rise in his consciousness, but he couldn't remember why.  
  
"Hi, Harry!" said Seamus, grinning. "We were just talking about you, actually."  
  
_Wonderful, _thought Harry.  
  
"We heard about your little incident at Diagon Alley," said Dean. "Attacked by Death Eaters right in the street!"  
  
Lavender was giving him a wide-eyed look. "That must have been so _frightening_!"  
  
"And it must have happened right after we talked! Didn't it, Harry?" Parvati said, hugging his arm a little tighter.  
  
"Wait, hold on..." said Harry.  
  
"My mum almost wouldn't let me go pick up my stuff after she heard the story," said Seamus.  
  
"My dad was simply furious with the Ministry. Can you imagine? Allowing Death Eaters to run amok," said Lavender. "Good thing you were there, Harry."  
  
"It wasn't a Death Eater!" said Harry, irritated. "How do these rumors get started?"  
  
"It wasn't?" said Parvati. "What happened, then?"  
  
"Well, I mean, I _thought _it was a Death Eater... but it wasn't. An Auror was following me, but I didn't know it was an Auror, and I, well, sort of knocked him out," Harry said, embarrassed.  
  
"You took out an Auror?" said Seamus, looking awed and impressed.  
  
"I didn't exactly _take him out,_ I, er..." said Harry weakly.  
  
"You had a lot of help?" Parvati said innocently.  
  
"Er, no, not this time, but it was a bit lucky," Harry said modestly.  
  
"You seem to have a lot of luck, mate," said Dean.  
  
"Listen, are you going to continue the D.A. this year?" Seamus said conspiratorially. Everyone leaned forward.  
  
"Yeah, I hope to. I mean, I haven't talked to Professor Dumbledore or anything, but I don't see why not," said Harry.  
  
"I hope we get a decent Defense teacher this year," said Dean. "All this business is making me nervous. I'm just glad my parents are Muggles and know nothing about any of it."  
  
There was a solemn silence as they all thought about the reality that the D.A. represented. Harry saw his chance.  
  
"Well, I promised to pick up some snacks. I'll see you all at Hogwarts," Harry said, as he carefully extracted his arm from Parvati.  
  
"Oh! All right, Harry," said Parvati. "Maybe I'll see you at the feast?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"Um, sure, I guess so. Well, see you all," he said, giving a small wave at everyone. A chorus of good byes trailed him as he walked out of the car.  
  
Harry sighed. Apparently it wasn't going to be as easy to avoid Parvati as he had thought.  
  
Suddenly he remembered why Dean had sparked something in his memory. On the train ride home last year, Ginny had commented to Ron, _"Well, I've chosen Dean Thomas, would you say he's better?" _Harry frowned at the memory.  
  
At the time, he hadn't thought too much about it, but now he wondered. She certainly hadn't mentioned Dean since the train. _But then, why would she? _he thought. _She might have been writing him letters all summer. _Grumbling to himself, he felt annoyed at the whole thought of Dean.  
  
Harry finally spotted the food cart in the next car. He was already feeling hungry from the excitement of the morning, despite Mrs. Weasley's big breakfast. He walked to the cart, picking out an assortment of snacks and sweets to share with everyone.  
  
He brought back a large pile to the train car. Ron and Hermione had apparently finished their meeting with the Head Boy and Girl, as they were sitting with Ginny, Luna and Neville.  
  
"Dig in, if anybody wants anything," Harry said. They all grabbed snacks enthusiastically.  
  
Ginny smiled at him, causing Harry to wonder again about Dean. He shook himself, wondering why he was even thinking about Dean at all.  
  
Ron pulled out his chessboard. "How about a game, mate?" he said to Harry.  
  
"All right," Harry said, as he started helping to set up the pieces.  
  
Ron opened up a Chocolate Frog package, the frog squirming in his hand before he stuffed it into his mouth. "Whoa, new card... I haven't seen this one before. Oh, oh." He glanced at Harry, worried.  
  
Hermione looked over, munching on a Miss Vegee Health Snack. "What's the matter?"  
  
Ron passed the card over to Hermione. Her face fell, looking at the card. "Erm... Harry? You might as well see this."  
  
Harry took the card and was horrified to see himself smiling back, his Firebolt at his side. The card-Harry winked at him. He turned it over and read the back:  
  
HARRY POTTER  
CURRENTLY SIXTH YEAR STUDENT AT HOGWARTS  
  
_Primarily famous for defeating You-Know-Who as an infant, Mr. Potter has achieved recent notoriety for surviving several run-ins with the Dark Lord. In his latest encounter, he survived a brazen attack at the Ministry of Magic. Many prominent wizards expect great things from this young man. Mr. Potter was the youngest Seeker in over a century at Hogwarts, playing for Gryffindor House._  
  
"Great. Just great. Just what I needed," he said angrily. "Don't they need my permission to make a card about me?"  
  
"Well, that's the way it would work in the Muggle world, but I guess not here, Harry," said Hermione.  
  
"Let me see," said Ginny, taking it from Harry. She looked at the picture critically and then giggled.  
  
"What's so funny?" said Harry, annoyed.  
  
"Oh, I was just thinking about Malfoy's reaction when he hears about this card. You know that he'll try and annoy you with it, Harry, but inside he'll be seething."  
  
"Yeah..." Ron said, with a smirk. "I know you hate this, mate, but you have to admit that Malfoy almost makes it worth it."  
  
Harry couldn't help smiling. "Well, maybe. I still wish they hadn't done it."  
  
Luna had taken the card from Ginny. "This picture is much nicer than the one that ran in The Quibbler," she said. "Who took it?"  
  
Harry looked curious. "You know, that's a good question. It looks like it was taken during a Quidditch match, but I don't remember any odd photographers. Let me see the card again."  
  
Harry took the card back from Luna and peered again at the picture. The photo-Harry gave him a thumbs-up. Looking closer at the bottom of the card, he saw some tiny writing. Holding it up to his eye, he could barely make out, "_Photo credit: Colin Creevey, Hogwarts_."  
  
"Creevey!" Harry spat, as he threw the card to the ground. "Mark my words, he'll pay for this."  
  
Abruptly Malfoy opened up the door to the car. Crabbe and Goyle stood behind him, looking bigger, meaner and dumber than ever.  
  
"Another year, Potter. Another year." He spied the card, now in Neville's hand, who had picked it up off the floor.  
  
"What's that, Longbottom? I see you have the card for your great hero, Potter. Is he handing them out to people? Did he sign it personally for you?"  
  
Neville glared at him. "You're just jealous, Malfoy! Fat chance that _you'll _ever be on a Chocolate Frog card!" Everyone looked surprised at Neville.  
  
Ron glanced at him, eyebrows raised, and then smirked at Malfoy. "Yeah, Malfoy, maybe someday they'll have a line of 'Huge Git' cards, and you'll be card number one."  
  
"Did they allow you back to Hogwarts, Longbottom? One would think a student would need to pass at least one OWL," Malfoy said snidely. Crabbe and Goyle looked away nervously.  
  
"What are you doing back at Hogwarts anyway, Malfoy? Did your application get rejected by Death Eater Youth?" said Ron. The car broke out in laughter.  
  
Malfoy glared at him. "How do you end up at Hogwarts, Weasley? I suppose your tuition comes from the Hogwarts Charity Fund," he said smoothly. Ron clenched and unclenched his fists.  
  
"Just what is it you want, Malfoy?" said Hermione tiredly.  
  
Malfoy sneered at Hermione. "Seeing as how all of you are rather, well, _unconnected _in the world, I would assume that you haven't been informed who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is," Malfoy drawled, his face twisting into a smirk.  
  
Harry knew that look on Malfoy's face. This could mean nothing good.  
  
"All right, Malfoy. Obviously you know something, and you like whatever it is. Spit it out," said Harry, irritated.  
  
"You mean, you _want _something from me, Potter? Doesn't the Great Potter have any manners? Can't you ask _politely?_" Malfoy said mockingly.  
  
"Fine, Malfoy, whatever you say. Don't tell us, then. We'll find out soon enough," said Harry, looking back to the chess game. He knew that whatever it was, Malfoy was dying to tell them. He just had to wait him out.  
  
Malfoy looked irritated at being ignored, but soon his pleasure at his news returned. "Ah, Potter, this is going to be a glorious year, don't you think? Such _opportunities_ for learning. And Defense classes are rather _critical _for Auror training, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Harry looked up at that. "What d'you mean, Auror training?"  
  
"Only that your grades in Defense classes are critical for being accepted into the Auror academy. Of course, what else would the illustrious and noble Potter choose for a career, except being an Auror?"  
  
"I'll have you know my grades in Defense are among the tops in the school, with the exception of a certain teacher who was your secret lover last year," Harry said, growing angry.  
  
The insult seemed to slide off Malfoy. "Ah, but perhaps not this year, Potter."  
  
"I'm tired of this game, Malfoy," Harry looked back to the chessboard.  
  
"All right, Potter. I'd say I'd had enough fun, but my fun is only beginning. You want to know who the new teacher is, eh?" said Malfoy, clearly relishing the moment. Harry continued to look at the chessboard, not seeing the pieces.  
  
Malfoy gave a long, dramatic pause. "Why, the new teacher is none other than Professor Severus Snape." Malfoy's face split into a grin that threatened to cause the top part of his head to fall off.  
  
The shock in the train car was all Malfoy had hoped for and more. Harry's mouth opened and closed silently, fish-like, at a complete loss for words. Ron was running his fingers through his hair, giving himself a wild appearance. Hermione's brain seemed to have stopped for once, as her eyes appeared a bit glassy. Ginny actually looked angry, and Neville looked terrified. Only Luna appeared blasé about the news.  
  
"You're lying!" said Harry impulsively.  
  
"Don't you wish I was, Potter. I guess your days of _special treatment _in the Defense classes are over. We all know that everyone sucked up to you, even on your OWL exam, from what I hear," Malfoy said spitefully. "I'm certain Professor Snape will put an end to _that. _Better brush up on your cleaning spells. I might give you a job in my mansion after Hogwarts."  
  
Harry's temper was rising quickly. "Yourmansion, Malfoy? That's a funny name for Azkaban, which is where you'll most likely be ending up after Hogwarts – with your putrid father."  
  
Malfoy's expression turned cold as ice. "I would watch your mouth, Potter. The wind is changing, and you might hear some news about that before too much longer." He gave a cruel smile. "Yes, you better be careful, or you may be put down like _certain_ _other_ rabid dogs."  
  
Harry lost his temper. He launched out of his seat, utterly enraged, and pulled his wand.  
  
"Harry, no!" said Hermione and Ginny together. They each took an arm and pulled Harry back.  
  
Ron followed a split second later, pulling his wand, ready to defend Harry. The others stood up as well. Malfoy took a step back, his face showing concern that he might have pushed Harry too far.  
  
Ginny pulled her wand as well, and she fixed Malfoy with a cold stare. She twirled her wand in her fingers. "Apparently you didn't learn anything from last year, Malfoy_._ Do you need a little reminder?"  
  
Suddenly the glass in the compartment door behind Malfoy shattered, falling to the floor with a deafening noise. Malfoy jumped back, looking around the train suspiciously.  
  
"Who did that?" he demanded.  
  
Harry fought to bring himself under control. He had a good idea how the glass had shattered. He certainly didn't need any incidents before he had even arrived at school.  
  
Trying to distract the focus from the glass, Harry said, "Yeah, Malfoy, I hear Ginny hit you with a excellent Bat Bogey Hex last year. I only wish I had seen it. I bet your father was _very _proud of a Weasley girl making a monkey of you. I'm certain ol' Voldemort was salivating to bring _you_ into the ranks."  
  
Malfoy looked on the edge of drawing his own wand, but managed to control himself. "Laugh now, Potter. You may not have many laughs left." He looked at Crabbe and Goyle. "Come on, let's get out of here."  
  
Malfoy withdrew from the car, eyeing the glass warily.  
  
Hermione walked over to the door, waved her wand, and said, _"Reparo!" _The glass appeared to break in reverse as it repaired itself. "Well, that was odd..." she mumbled. She tried to close the door, but it didn't seem to fit in the track quite correctly. She gave one hard push and it finally closed. Harry noticed that the thick metal frame of the door appeared to be warped.  
  
The door seemed like a trivial issue as Harry remembered the reason for Malfoy's visit. He buried his face in his hands. "Oh, bloody hell. Not Snape. How can Dumbledore do this?"  
  
Harry suddenly pulled his hands away, and his face grew determined. "Well, I'll say one thing right now. Snape may be better at Potions than I'll ever be, but he's _not _pushing me around in Defense class."  
  
"You know, Harry, there's another aspect to this," said Hermione, thoughtfully. "No Snape in Potions means we get a new Potions teacher. One that might not be as strict in only allowing students that scored Outstanding Potions OWLs."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. "You're right! Whoever the teacher is can't be as unreasonable as Snape. I wonder who it is?" Harry suddenly felt better than he had in some time, Snape as Defense teacher or no.  
  
"I'm certain Dumbledore will find a competent replacement," said Hermione.  
  
"Yeah! Potions doesn't have the same track record at Hogwarts as the Defense position," said Ron, grinning.  
  
As things in the car returned to normal, Harry started thinking about the shattered glass and warped door. He'd always had incidents of accidental magic, but they were far more frequent this summer than ever before, and the feeling was – different. He'd barely felt anything in prior years, but he was feeling something much stronger, like it was bursting out of him. He hoped the incidents would lessen once he was able to start using magic regularly again at Hogwarts. That had seemed to be the case before.  
  
He wondered briefly if he should tell Dumbledore about the unusual activity, but dismissed the idea. It wasn't as if he hadn't had incidents before. They were just more frequent now. For all he knew, it was perfectly normal.  
  
The rest of the trip was uneventful as they all chatted or played games. As they started getting closer to Hogwarts, Harry stared out the window trying to glimpse the castle. He knew they were getting close, but rain began pelting the window, making it difficult to see any terrain.  
  
"We'd best get dressed," Hermione said briskly, glancing at Ron. He sighed and dutifully began pulling out his school robes. Everyone else followed their lead as they opened up their trunks and got dressed.  
  
Finally the train began to slow down, and Harry could hear all the students noisily gathering their belongings.  
  
"We'll see you later, mate. We need to go herd the calves," Ron said, grinning. Hermione glared at him. Ron opened the warped door with difficulty, finally leaning his weight into the handle to get it to open. He glanced curiously between it and Harry as he walked out with Hermione.  
  
Harry gathered his belongings and led Ginny, Neville and Luna off the train.  
  
"Firs' years over 'ere! Firs' years over 'ere!" yelled a familiar voice.  
  
"Hagrid! Over here!" yelled Harry, waving his arms.  
  
"'Ello there, Harry! See you at the feast!" yelled Hagrid back.  
  
Harry was delighted to see Hagrid back in his familiar role, since he had been absent the previous year.  
  
They all tried to stick together among the jostling of the crowd as they left the platform. The night was a bit chilly as he walked along the path toward the carriages, Ginny alongside of him, and Neville and Luna following. Ginny was carrying Crookshanks, and Harry was carrying Pigwidgeon.  
  
"I wonder what the new Potions Professor will be like?" Ginny said curiously.  
  
"Dunno," Harry replied. "Can't be worse than Snape, though."  
  
"Better knock on some wood, Harry," Ginny said superstitiously, with a grin. "Given what we had for a Defense teacher last year, I'd say that it's possible to be worse. Might be a troll this time."  
  
Harry laughed. "Yeah, or maybe a vampire. He'd probably make us do blood potions all the time, and I gave enough blood last year to Umbridge."  
  
Ginny laughed loudly. Harry felt pleased that he'd made her laugh.  
  
"Hmm. Maybe you're right," Harry said. "Best not to tempt fate, eh?"  
  
Smiling, Harry walked over and knocked on a tree.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks always to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	11. Chapter 10 Dumbledore's Secret Library

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 10: Dumbledore's Secret Library_

  
  
_A/N: Harry sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
"Er, are they there?" asked Ginny, squinting at the front of a carriage.  
  
Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna stood near the carriages, waiting for Ron and Hermione to finish their prefect duties. Harry looked at the Thestrals hitched to the front of the carriages and shivered a bit.  
   
"Yeah, they're there," he said. He didn't think he'd ever get used to their creepy appearance.  
  
"Thanks for carrying Pig," Ron said, coming up behind him. Hermione was with him and relieved Ginny of Crookshanks, thanking her as well.  
  
"We better find a carriage before they all fill up," said Hermione, walking down the line. "Here's one."  
  
They all climbed in for the trip up to the castle. As the carriage rattled and shook along the path, Harry wondered again about the Potions Professor. It would be so odd not having Snape for Potions. Somehow whenever he thought of a magical potion, Snape's scowling face would appear along with it. As far as he was concerned, they might as well paste his face on every bottle.  
  
But not this year. Maybe it would be a chance to make a fresh start in Potions class. On the other hand, if having a different professor for Potions was odd, it would be downright bizarre having Snape as Defense teacher. Snape had taken over the position briefly in Harry's third year, and that was more than enough for Harry's taste. He resolved once again not to take any abuse from Snape this year.  
  
He watched the moon and stars peeking through the cloudy sky as the carriages took them the rest of the way. Finally they pulled up to the stone steps leading up to the huge oak doors of Hogwarts. They all exited the carriage and walked into the Entrance Hall, brightly lit with torches along the walls. The group turned right into the Great Hall where hundreds of students were noisily finding seats and chatting with each other.  
  
Luna gave a vague goodbye as she left for the Ravenclaw table. As the Gryffindors reached their table, Ginny gave a squeal and ran over to greet some of her fellow fifth year students. Harry watched closely as she greeted her friends and noted that several of the boys at the table seemed to look her up and down. A feeling of annoyance filled him as he turned away and walked with Neville, Ron and Hermione to sit with the other sixth year students.  
  
Distracted, Harry sat down at the table, and then realized he had sat directly across from Parvati, who was sitting next to Lavender.  
  
"Harry, Hello! I'm so glad you sat with me!" she said delightedly.  
  
"Hi, Harry," said Lavender, giving him an odd smirk.  
  
Harry smiled weakly at them as he groaned to himself. "Hello, Parvati, Lavender."  
  
Harry glanced over at Ron, whose jaw was hanging down. "Whoa. That can't be the new Potions Professor, can it? That's sure not Snape."  
  
Harry looked at the front table and saw an extremely pretty young woman sitting with the other professors. He looked around and noticed many of the boys in the room were looking avidly at the woman.  
  
Hermione was looking very annoyed with Ron's reaction, but Harry had to agree with him. The new Potions Professor was about as different from Snape as possible. She was rather tall, with long, blonde hair pulled back behind her head. Her face was very pretty with creamy white skin.  
  
Just then, a line of first years came filing into the chamber, looking nervous and frightened, led by Professor McGonagall. She was carrying a stool which held the ancient Sorting Hat, covered in patches and worn from centuries of use. She placed the stool in front of the first years, where the hat seemed to wait for the noise to die down.  
  
As silence descended upon the hall, the rip at the base of the hat opened like a mouth, and it began to sing its song:  
  
_Another year has come along_  
_Another class is here_  
_I am here to sing to you_  
_And divide you, never fear_  
  
_Long ago I was tasked_  
_To decide the house of each_  
_This role is mine and mine alone_  
_The professors, they shall teach_  
  
_Last year I gave a warning_  
_To beware a split in heart_  
_I still fear that dividing all_  
_May not be all that smart_  
  
_Another war has begun_  
_Dread has spread and grown_  
_But there are greater things to fear_  
_Than just the enemy known_  
  
_Some of you may think you know_  
_Where the enemy might lie_  
_A family line or Hogwarts house_  
_Surely tells you who's an ally_  
  
_A thousand years of watching you_  
_Has taught me lessons to share_  
_And among the most important ones_  
_Is you find good and evil everywhere_  
  
_Your house may be Ravenclaw,_  
_Where you'll find the fleet of mind,_  
_Many there have fought when called_  
_To use the talents of their kind_  
  
_But they are not immune to darkness,_  
_Intelligence can be allied_  
_Many crave the order_  
_That a dictator can provide_  
  
_Or Gryffindor, your kind might be,_  
_Where lurk the brave and bold_  
_Deeds of great daring are_  
_Their specialty, all told_  
  
_But courage does not guarantee_  
_That morals and ethics are stout_  
_Among the greatest betrayal known_  
_Came from there, no doubt_  
  
_Slytherin might be your home_  
_For cunning and ambition_  
_Many from this house have fought_  
_Evil of their own volition._  
  
_This house has a reputation_  
_That's not entirely undeserved_  
_Ambition is greatly rewarded_  
_When darkness is loyally served_  
  
_The last is noble Hufflepuff_  
_Faith and toil is their talent_  
_When duty calls, they will answer_  
_With a pride so very gallant _  
  
_But many there are not content_  
_To work to raise their lot_  
_They seek the easy way instead_  
_By doing deeds of moral rot_  
  
_So while I will divide you_  
_And I expect some house pride_  
_Don't be too quick to doubt or trust_  
_Anywhere among you, evil can hide._  
  
There was the usual applause after the Hat's song, but Harry also noticed that, as last year, many students were whispering among themselves about the Hat's subject matter.  
  
"Well, that was interesting," said Hermione.  
  
"What'd'ya think the hat's point was?" said Ron, a bit perplexed. Harry had to admit that he didn't quite get the message, either.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" said Hermione. Harry and Ron looked at her blankly.  
  
She sighed. "The hat is telling us two things. One, that we shouldn't assume that people we expect to be trustworthy, are trustworthy. '_Among the greatest betrayal known_'... does that sound like someone we know?"  
  
"Pettigrew," Harry said.  
  
"Yes. And two, the hat is saying that we shouldn't automatically distrust other people, for example, the Slytherins."  
  
Ron made a face.  
  
"Yes, well, I know that many of the Slytherins we know live up to their reputation. But that doesn't mean they're all Voldemort supporters."  
  
Harry grunted. The next Slytherin he liked and trusted would be the first.  
  
Suddenly all eyes snapped toward the front of the room as McGonagall gave a general glare for silence. She unfolded a long piece of parchment and began calling the name of each first-year to come forward.  
  
Harry clapped loudly with the others each time the hat called out "Gryffindor!" for a new student, but he began to get quite hungry toward the end. Finally the last student's name ("Zook, Henry") was called, and Professor McGonagall picked up the stool with the hat and took them away as Dumbledore rose from his chair.  
  
"Well, students, it's another year at Hogwarts. I welcome you all," said Dumbledore, smiling at the room. "While I am sure you would like to listen to me prattle on about various business, I believe you would like to feast even more. Voila!" Dumbledore loudly clapped his hands and enormous amounts of food appeared on the tables.  
  
Harry could almost see the drool leaking from Ron's mouth as he surveyed the variety of plates before him. Harry was having difficulty deciding what he wanted, so he began loading up his plate with a little of everything within reach.  
  
They chatted among themselves as they ate, although Harry was very distracted as Parvati kept bumping his foot and giving him coy smiles.  
  
Harry was eating his favorite Treacle Tart for dessert when he noticed Ginny walking around the table talking to various friends. She left a group, walked over and began talking to another friend – and Dean. Harry's fork holding a bite of tart stopped, suspended in front of his mouth, watching her speak to the two of them.  
  
Slowly the tart went into his mouth and he chewed mechanically. He wasn't quite sure what he was watching for, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away. Ginny was smiling as Dean appeared to be telling her some sort of story. She laughed cheerfully as he finished, and Harry felt even more irritation toward Dean than he had felt on the train. He looked sulkily down at his tart and took another bite, not entirely certain why he was so annoyed.  
  
As the feast began to wind down, Dumbledore rose from his seat and called for everyone's attention. The room immediately became quiet.  
  
"Now that we've all filled our stomachs with this wonderful feast, I have a few announcements. The first – and most important – is a difficult one," he said.  
  
His face took on a somber expression as he continued. "With your indulgence, I feel a duty to pay homage to a brave, honorable man who died several months ago. That man's name was Sirius Black."  
  
A gasp of shock came up from the students, and Harry could hear whispering throughout the room. Dumbledore waited for it to quiet a bit.  
  
"As many of you know, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban prison, where he was serving a sentence for the murders of many people. What many of you do not know is that he was completely innocent," Dumbledore said.  
  
There was dead silence in the room as Dumbledore's words sunk in.  
  
"He was framed by a man named Peter Pettigrew, who was the primary one responsible for bringing Lord Voldemort back to power." A hiss went up from the crowd at the name, and Harry noticed that even the teachers flinched a bit.  
  
Dumbledore continued. "For far too long he was falsely imprisoned for another's crime. Unfortunately, he did not live to have his name officially cleared, but it's time that the truth was told. He died at the Ministry Battle in the service of the Wizard Community."  
  
Harry could feel many eyes in the room turning toward him, but he kept his gazed locked on Dumbledore.  
  
"At this time, I would like to call for a moment of silence for a good man, a brave man, a man who didn't deserve his fate: Sirius Black." Dumbledore lowered his gaze, and the rest of the room followed. Harry lowered his eyes as well. He was curious what Snape's reaction to the speech was, but didn't look up to check.  
  
"Thank you," Dumbledore said gravely. "Now then, allow me to make a few Hogwarts announcements."  
  
As Dumbledore made the usual admonitions about the forbidden forest, Harry found his mind wandering. He was very glad that Dumbledore had decided to clear Sirius' name, even if unofficially.  
  
"All right, Harry?" whispered Hermione.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine," Harry whispered back.  
  
The truth was that he was feeling a lot better than he might have expected. One of the events he had reviewed in the Pensieve over the summer was the Ministry Battle. At the beginning, he would stop the action far before Sirius' death, but slowly he worked his way up to it.  
  
It had taken a week. Finally he let it go and watched it happen all over again. It had been intensely painful, but he felt like he needed to understand how and why it happened. After reflecting on Sirius' death, Harry had been disturbed at how arbitrary the whole thing had been. All Sirius had needed to do was hang on for another minute, but Bellatrix had hit him with a spell.  
  
And if he was totally honest with himself, he'd been very angry with Sirius.  
  
Sirius hadn't taken Bellatrix seriously. Instead of just fighting and subduing her quickly, he had taunted her and let his guard down. It had been a terrible way to learn a lesson, but Harry did take a lesson from it: don't get overconfident in a battle.  
  
Harry was startled out of his thoughts by Dumbledore's voice.  
  
"Now, please allow me to introduce the new Potions Master, Professor Melanadray," Dumbledore said, gesturing to the new blonde teacher. "Don't let her youth fool you. She was one of the best Potions students Hogwarts has ever had. She comes highly recommended by Professor Snape."  
  
Harry noticed that Snape actually looked approvingly at her. The look on Snape's face was so foreign to Harry that he wasn't completely sure he was identifying the expression correctly.  
  
The new teacher stood, and the students applauded politely. She flushed, a bit embarrassed, and waved to the room. Her eyes scanned the tables, looking over the students. Her eyes locked with Harry's, and her face broke out in a smile. Harry darted his eyes away as a nervous shiver went down his spine.  
  
Harry felt some heat climbing up his neck. _Do I know her from somewhere? _he thought. Slowly looking back towards the front, he saw that she had sat down and showed no signs of recognition. _Maybe I imagined it, _he thought.  
  
"Erm, Harry, do you know the new Potions professor?" Hermione asked.  
  
Harry felt another flush. "No... why do you ask?" he asked carefully.  
  
"She just seemed to look at you like she knew you," Hermione said.  
  
"Never seen her before," said Harry.  
  
"I think if Harry had seen _her _before, he'd remember," Ron said, grinning. Hermione glared at him.  
  
There was a loud rustling across the hall as the students began to get up from the tables after being dismissed by Dumbledore.  
  
"Ron! Come on, we need to lead the first years," said Hermione.  
  
"All right, I'm coming," said Ron, annoyed.  
  
Ron yelled at the nearest first year Gryffindor. "Hey you! First-year! Start walking that way," he shouted, gesturing toward the door.  
  
"Ron!" said Hermione, glaring at him. "First-years! Come this way! Yes, follow him," she said authoritatively.  
  
As the students all filed out the door, Harry spotted Ginny. "Hi, Ginny. Enjoy the feast?" he said, striding alongside her.  
  
"Yeah, I did! And it was great getting caught up with my friends again," she said.  
  
Harry remembered seeing her talking with Dean. "Erm, I guess you were happy to see Dean, huh?" he said nervously.  
  
Ginny blinked. "Yeah, I guess so," she said, puzzled.  
  
Harry looked ahead as they walked along. "I reckoned that you would be, er, anxious to see him," he said.  
  
She looked blankly at him for several seconds. "Oh!" she exclaimed and then giggled. "You're thinking of what I said to Ron on the train last year."  
  
Harry nodded. "Er, yeah, I guess I figured you two were going out."  
  
"No, I just said that because Ron was being such a git on the train," she said, laughing.  
  
"Good," Harry said, before he could stop himself. "Erm, I mean, not that there's anything wrong with Dean, er..." He felt heat starting to climb up his neck.  
  
He glanced over at her and noticed that she was giving him a very odd look. He quickly looked back ahead.  
  
"Hmm. But since you bring him up, he is sort of cute..." Ginny said musingly.  
  
Horrible thoughts of Dean seemed to flow into Harry's head.  
  
"What do _you_ think, Harry? Do you think he'd make a proper boyfriend for me?" asked Ginny innocently. "You know him much better than I do."  
  
Harry had always liked Dean, but at that moment he couldn't seem to find anything good about him. "Well, um, he's all right, I guess. But I think you could do a lot better."  
  
"Could I now? Why, thank you, Harry. That's good to know. I'll keep that in mind," Ginny said, nodding with a serious expression.  
  
They arrived at the portrait hole. Ginny gave the password ("pumpkin pudding") and the portrait swung open.  
  
Harry gave a huge yawn as he said good night to Ginny, his soft bed sounding like heaven after the eventful day. He plodded up the stairs, back once again to his home in Gryffindor Tower.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry woke up the next morning, excited about starting his first day at Hogwarts. He showered and met Hermione down in the Common Room. They waited a bit until Ron finally appeared, trudging down the stairs with a bleary-eyed appearance.  
  
"All right, Ron?" said Harry, grinning at him.  
  
"Need food," he grunted. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.  
  
They headed down to the Great Hall, where most of the students had already arrived and were noisily eating their breakfast.  
  
Not long after they had started eating, owls began arriving delivering the morning mail. Harry noticed there seemed to be a lot more owls flying in than usual as they flew across the Great Hall. An owl swooped down and dropped a letter in front of him. Another followed quickly afterward, and then another. To his horror, a large stack of letters started growing in front of him.  
  
"What's this about?" he said anxiously, suspecting that it could be nothing good.  
  
He picked up one of the letters and slowly opened it. His heart sank as he read the letter, written in a young girl's handwriting.  
  
_Dear Mr. Potter,_  
  
_My best friend's dad was killed by You-Know-Who. I'm so afraid that he is going to hurt my family, too. Please stop him, like you did when you were a baby. We always believed in you, even when they were writing that rubbish last year._  
  
_Love,_  
_Mary  _  
  
The letter dropped from his hands as Harry's guilt surged up, the pain threatening to overwhelm him. He put his hands over his face, leaning his elbows on the table. He heard Hermione reach over and pick up the letter. There was a pause as she read it.  
  
"Oh, Harry, we should have expected this after Skeeter's article," she said sadly.  
  
Harry just sat with his head in his hands. He knew that people were probably looking at him right now, and he just didn't care. How could he possibly live up to the expectations of the prophecy?  
  
He heard a few more letters being opened.  
  
"They're all like that," Ron said. "Bloody hell! Look at this one! The bloody git is demanding that you walk out of Hogwarts and duel You-Know-Who right now!" he said lividly.  
  
Ron's outrage on his behalf made him feel a little better, but he still couldn't seem to look at anyone. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder and someone whispered in his ear.  
  
"It's all right, Harry," Ginny whispered. "Don't read any more of them. Don't worry about what they say. You can only do your best."  
  
Harry finally looked up and saw Ginny giving him a worried smile. He forced a tiny smile to his face and nodded.  
  
He noticed Seamus and Dean whispering to each across the table. They appeared to finish their conversation and looked over at him.  
  
"Harry, mate, we have an idea," said Dean.  
  
"Yeah. How about if we screen your mail? At least until this calms down," said Seamus.  
  
Harry was stunned that they would do that for him.  
  
"The D.A. has to stick together, right? You'll go nutters if you have to read this stuff every day," said Dean.  
  
"Um, thanks, really," Harry said gratefully.  
  
"Not to worry, Harry. Let us take care of it," Seamus said firmly, reaching across the table and pulling the stack of letters toward them.  
  
Harry felt a stab of guilt over his thoughts of Dean the previous night. He really didn't deserve friends like this.  
  
Harry finished his breakfast in silence. Hermione was right; he should have figured this would happen after that article was published. It was hard enough having to deal with the responsibility without seemingly the whole world watching what he was going to do.  
  
He felt a tug on his robes and noticed Dobby next to him.  
  
"Welcome back to Hogwarts, Harry Potter, sir!" he said excitedly.  
  
Harry smiled at him. "Hello, Dobby. It's good to be back, and it's good to see you, too."  
  
"Harry Potter is too kind to Dobby! I have a message for you from Professor Dumbledore," he said, handing Harry a note.  
  
"Thanks, Dobby," said Harry.  
  
"Anything for Harry Potter! And if you need anything this year, you let Dobby know and Dobby will do whatever he can," said Dobby.  
  
"All right, Dobby, I will," Harry said.  
  
Harry read the note. It simply said,  
  
_Mr. Potter,_  
  
_Please meet me in my office after breakfast and bring your Pensieve._  
  
_Professor Dumbledore_  
  
_P.S. The password is Toffee Coconut Cluster._  
  
Harry felt some fear surge up in him. He really didn't want any more bad news this morning. He tried to tell himself that if anything really bad was afoot then he would have been summoned immediately, but he seemed to expect the worst of everything these days.  
  
"Dobby just gave me a note to meet Professor Dumbledore after breakfast," said Harry to Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Does it say what he wants?" said Hermione curiously.  
  
"No, it just says to bring the Pensieve. Well, I'm finished, so I guess I'll head up there. No use putting it off," Harry said.  
  
"All right, mate. Let us know later," mumbled Ron through a mouthful of food.  
  
Harry sighed and got up from the table, terrible thoughts going through his head about what the meeting could possibly be about. He walked slowly up to his dormitory, trying to avoid the inevitable meeting. He pulled his Pensieve out of his trunk and walked slowly down the spiral stairs, his anxiety growing by the minute.  
  
The Fat Lady seemed to notice his mood and gave him a cheerful smile as he opened up the portrait hole. Harry smiled wanly, which lasted until he was down the corridor when his face reverted back to a worried frown. Inevitably he reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Drawing a deep breath, he gave the password.  
  
The gargoyle seemed to shake itself as it became animated, and then jumped aside, revealing the wall beginning to open with a noisy rumbling. Harry stepped onto the moving stone staircase, which spiraled up the round chamber towards Dumbledore's office, bringing him to the beautiful polished door. He reached out toward the brass knocker, and then paused, remembering the last time he had been in that office. He had learned the prophecy after his ordeal at the Ministry.  
  
Gathering his courage, he knocked on the door, feeling his knees growing rubbery from his nervousness.  
  
"Enter," he heard Dumbledore say, as the door swung open by itself.  
  
"Ah, Harry. Good to see you," said Dumbledore affably, as if they had just shared scones the previous day.  
  
"Er, Hello, Professor," said Harry. Dumbledore's office appeared to have been put back together since his last visit when he had smashed several things. The portraits on the wall were sleeping peacefully, as well as Fawkes, who was sitting on his golden perch with closed eyes and slow breathing. In fact, the whole room seemed to radiate a quiet tranquility.  
  
Dumbledore was sitting back in his chair, looking calmly at him. Harry waited for something else, but Dumbledore seemed satisfied with the greetings. Finally Harry couldn't take it any more.  
  
"Erm, Professor, did you want to see me?" said Harry.  
  
"Yes, Harry, I did. Please have a seat. First, I suppose I should give you personal birthday wishes. I'm sorry I couldn't have come to your party in person. I had – other duties," said Dumbledore. "But I heard it was quite a success."  
  
"Yes, it was. Thank you so much for the Pensieve," Harry said, feeling like a simple 'thank you' wasn't enough, based on what Lupin had said about rarity of Pensieves.  
  
"Not at all, not at all. I hope it was – helpful?" said Dumbledore, with eyebrows raised.  
  
"Yes, sir, it helped a lot," said Harry. Part of him wanted to tell the Professor that it had helped him more than he could know, but it was difficult to find the words.  
  
"As I said, I would be happy to keep it safe for you. I have just the place in mind," said Dumbledore.  
  
All the small talk was driving Harry mad. He needed to know what was going on. "Er, sir, if I might ask, why did you ask me up here? Is something wrong?"  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "Heavens, no, Harry. I apologize; I suppose I should have put that in my note," He looked at Harry compassionately and sighed. "I suppose you are getting used to receiving bad news, and this morning was no exception, I noted."  
  
Harry guessed he heard about the letters. "Yes, sir. It's – hard when I know that they're right, even when they don't know they're right. They want me to defeat Voldemort, and I don't know how to do it."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "I won't go over territory that we discussed before, but perhaps you begin to understand why I was so reluctant to give you the burden before now. Keeping things from you was a costly mistake, Harry, one that I won't repeat – but with a caveat. I will tell you what I can, but there are some things I simply cannot tell you. It's too dangerous for you to know, if Voldemort was somehow able to break into your mind. We know that Voldemort cannot possess you, and we know that you have natural defenses against him. But he is clever, and he is resourceful. There are certain – keys – to this whole thing, keys that you are not ready to use. It's imperative that he not find out about them. Can you trust me to tell you when the time is right?"  
  
Harry thought about it, and nodded, not completely satisfied.  
  
"Thank you, Harry. I hope this demonstrates to you that I don't keep this from you because I don't think you can be trusted, but because of strategic reasons. Now then, let me tell you what I can tell you," Dumbledore said.  
  
Harry leaned forward.  
  
"As expected, Voldemort is beginning to amass an army. He is making a lot of promises in – certain quarters. We believe that this army will be used when he is ready for the final showdown. His numbers are still small, which is fortunate for us. It will take him some time to put it together. I would estimate at least a year, and more likely two years, before he is ready. He will not make the mistake of striking too early.  
  
"But that is not our immediate problem. While he is building his army, he is working to destabilize our side at the same time. You've no doubt heard about the Ministry murders. The targets were not randomly chosen. They were specifically designed to spread terror and weaken the Ministry in key positions," Dumbledore said gravely.  
  
Harry felt a chill. "Was – was Mr. Weasley a target?"  
  
"We believe so, although ironically his closeness to you probably spared him. Everyone connected to you has extra security, so he is quite difficult to get to," said Dumbledore.  
  
Harry felt a bit of relief at that.  
  
"I believe Minister Ragnok talked to you?" Dumbledore said, with a smile.  
  
"Er, yes, he did," Harry said, feeling embarrassed about his conversation with Ragnok.  
  
"As he told you, we are also concerned about some sort of plan that Voldemort has hatched. We really have no more information about it than that. All we know is that it may – but may not – involve the Goblins. It's not much to go on, but Ragnok is intelligent and a trusted source," said Dumbledore.  
  
Harry was tempted to tell Dumbledore about Ragnok's other concerns about Harry, but it just seemed too absurd to mention.  
  
"Unfortunately, that's about all for the news," Dumbledore said apologetically. "It's not much, I know. But Voldemort has hidden himself away, and he's difficult to find if he stays low. The good news is that the Ministry is being much more cooperative these days."  
  
Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir, for bringing me up-to-date."  
  
"You're welcome, Harry," said Dumbledore, smiling kindly.  
  
"Um, sir, can I continue the D.A. this year?" said Harry.  
  
"I think it would be an excellent idea, Harry, although I think it should be restricted to fourth years and above. Also might I suggest having an advisor this time?" said Dumbledore.  
  
"I guess that would be a good idea. Who?" said Harry.  
  
"As Defense professor, I believe Professor Snape would be the logical choice ..." Dumbledore started.  
  
Harry gritted his teeth as the Headmaster continued. "...but I believe the Professor is too busy to take on additional duties at this time." Harry breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Unfortunately, it is politically difficult to allow Professor Lupin to visit the school. I took the liberty of asking Miss Tonks to oversee your meetings, and she agreed, quite enthusiastically, I might add. You should know that she graduated among the top in her classes at the Auror Academy, with the exception of Stealth and Tracking," he said, chuckling.  
  
"That would be great, Professor," Harry said. "I'm sure she'll be able to give us some good practical experience."  
  
"There is just one more thing," said Dumbledore.  
  
Harry looked at him curiously.  
  
"Come with me, I want to show you something," Dumbledore said, rising from his chair.  
  
Harry rose as well and walked with him across the office. Dumbledore approached a part of his stone wall and tapped it with his wand. It slid open, revealing a large, dark chamber. As they entered, torches lit up bathing the room in bright light.  
  
The room held several large bookcases, with what appeared to be very old and dusty books. Several large, carved oak tables were in the middle of the room, apparently set up for study. He noticed an odd-looking sunken platform at the other end of the room.  
  
"What is this place, Professor?" asked Harry.  
  
"This is my personal library, Harry. There is quite a bit of – information – here that is not even available in the restricted section of Hogwarts library. I want you to have access to this place. You will find it very interesting, I daresay," said Dumbledore.  
  
"Why aren't these books in the restricted section?" asked Harry.  
  
"Harry, the restricted section is intended to keep information that is potentially dangerous to students. These books contain information that is potentially dangerous to anyone that is not ready to use it. Some information is so dangerous that it is restricted by the Ministry. To be perfectly frank, my preference is that you not have access to books like these at this time, but Voldemort has forced our hand," said Dumbledore grimly.  
  
Harry nodded, intensely curious about what the books contained.  
  
"This will also be an ideal place for you to keep your Pensieve. I will teach you some advanced techniques for using the Pensieve to organize information. You will find that you can learn spells much faster and have much quicker recall. You see, not only can the Pensieve retrieve memories, but it can put them back into your head more efficiently. It can organize your memory," said Dumbledore.  
  
"What is that area over there?" Harry said, gesturing toward the sunken platform.  
  
"That is a spell testing area. You see, Harry, it's difficult to practice very powerful spells for the obvious reason that powerful spells tend to be, er, damaging to the surrounding area. That space has a very powerful indestructibility charm. You can cast your most powerful spells, and they will not penetrate the area. Allow me to demonstrate," Dumbledore said.  
  
Harry noticed a large pile of stone blocks next to the testing area. Dumbledore took out his wand and levitated a block into the sunken area. He then mumbled a long spell that Harry couldn't quite make out. A powerful purple beam of light erupted from Dumbledore's wand and made contact with the block. The stone loudly exploded, causing Harry to flinch at the noise.  
  
He peered into the space, now filled with smoke. The block had shattered but all the pieces were confined to the testing area. Even the dust seemed to stay within its confines.  
  
"Wow," Harry said, impressed.  
  
"Yes, it's quite useful, I must say," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling.  
  
"Now then, let me show you the entrance. There is another door that leads to a secret stairway. Why don't you go ahead and leave your Pensieve here."  
  
Harry placed his Pensieve on one of the tables.  
  
"The password is _Nutrimens Dulcis_," Dumbledore said, tapping the stone and giving the password. The wall slid open, revealing a spiral staircase. Dumbledore led the way down the staircase, until they came to a blank wall. He gave the password again, and the wall slid open, revealing a dead end corridor behind a blind corner.  
  
"The wall will not open if someone could potentially see the opening," Dumbledore said.  
  
"Thank you, Professor. Is it all right if I give access to Ron and Hermione?" said Harry.  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "I thought you might. By all means; I would imagine that Miss Granger would never forgive us for hiding a special library from her."  
  
"No, sir, she wouldn't," said Harry, grinning, as he said goodbye to the Professor and headed down the corridor to find Ron and Hermione.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks once again to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_If you would like new chapter notifications, I have created a Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	12. Chapter 11 The New Professors

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 11: The New Professors_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry walked into the Great Hall, feeling very nervous that morning as he sat down with Ron and Hermione. He loaded up a bowl of cereal, but couldn't seem to find much interest in his food as he picked at it distractedly. Today was to be the first class with Snape as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  
  
"Harry, when would you like to start D.A. meetings again?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, I dunno. Dumbledore gave permission; I suppose we could start anytime," Harry said.  
  
"Shall I post a notice on the bulletin board? I would think we can continue to use the Room of Requirement as well," Hermione said.  
  
"All right. Maybe we should set a schedule, and then I can check with Tonks and make sure it's okay with her," Harry said.  
  
Hermione looked officious as she briskly pulled out a calendar marked with various dates. "Here's a schedule I set up. Of course, we can change it when the Quidditch practice times are announced."  
  
Harry took the schedule. It was twice a week, with an evening session during the week, and a morning session on weekends.  
  
"This looks good... I'll send this off to Tonks after breakfast," Harry said.  
  
Distracted from his Snape thoughts, Harry finally started eating his cereal, feeling a bit more upbeat about starting up the D.A. again. He was reviewing some ideas in his head for the first meeting as the morning owls began arriving. As in the previous days, he got a large bundle of letters, which Seamus and Dean dutifully took from him for later examination.  
  
"Thanks," he said gratefully.  
  
"No worries, mate," said Seamus. "It'll probably start to die down in a few weeks."  
  
Just then Harry heard a minor ruckus. He looked down the table and noticed that Ginny had received a very long, wrapped package. He tried to act nonchalant as he pasted a look of curiosity on his face. Her eyes were wide, looking at the brightly colored wrapping.  
  
"What's that, Ginny?" asked Ron.  
  
"Dunno. Fred and George sent it," she said.  
  
"Erm, maybe you should open it up outside, or in a reinforced room, or something," said Ron nervously.  
  
Ginny laughed. "Oh, come on. Fred and George are more clever than that. They wouldn't just send a joke package," she said. Pausing, she added, "At least, I don't think they would..."  
  
"Oh, sod it. Let's see what it is. I'm dying of curiosity," Ginny said, and started tearing off the wrapping with gusto, revealing a long box.  
  
She opened the box and pulled out a beautiful new broom. It was stained a fiery red color and was polished to a bright finish. The tail was sleekly designed, obviously built with great attention to detail. On the front was a brass plaque with some writing. Ginny blinked her eyes, as if she couldn't believe what she was holding.  
  
"Whoa! Is that a Greased Lightning Chaser Special?" said Ron, awed.  
  
"Um, yeah," Ginny said, peering disbelievingly at the brass plaque, "er, that seems to be what it says."  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione had walked over from their seats.  
  
"Here's a note from Fred and George," Ginny said, reading the note. She then read it out loud.  
  
_Dear Sis,_  
  
_With the Weasley family honor at stake, we couldn't allow you fly around on that old piece of rubbish you used last year. One must uphold the sacred traditions, right? And there is no more sacred tradition than Gryffindor holding the cup at the end of the year._  
  
_Your Loving Brothers,_  
_Fred and George_  
  
_P.S. As much as we were tempted to put a little surprise on the broom, it's clean. No sense delaying your practice time, right?_  
  
"Great Merlin! Those two gave me a broom? A _professional _broom?" Ginny said incredulously.  
  
"That's a beautiful broom, Ginny. I'm happy for you," said Hermione, smiling at her.  
  
Ginny nodded happily. As she looked at her new broom, stroking it in disbelief, Harry could see Hermione giving him a fishy eye. He carefully avoided her glance as he joined Ron in looking closely at it. A crowd of people had started to join around them.  
  
"Wicked! There's no way we can lose, now," Ron said enthusiastically.  
  
Harry could see Malfoy across the room sending poisoned looks at the new broom. Harry smirked, agreeing silently with Ron that Quidditch this year should be very interesting. He could hardly wait to get back on his broom after sitting out much of the season last year.  
  
Ginny put the broom in the center of the table so everyone could get a good look at it.  
  
"What do you think, Harry?" Ginny said, as they stood a bit away from the crowd.  
  
"Congratulations! It should be perfect for you. I've read that these brooms are top ranked in the latest _Which Broomstick _for Chaser play," he said.  
  
Harry noticed that Ginny had some tears in her eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, swiping at her tears. "You probably think I'm silly."  
  
"No, it's all right," Harry said, a bit touched.  
  
"It's just that – I've never owned anything nice like this before, and I was so worried about the old broom, I didn't know if I could make the team with it, and... sorry again. I'm running off at the mouth," she said, smiling wetly.  
  
Harry smiled back at her. "It's a great broom. You deserve it. You played fantastically last year, even with the old broom, and this year you'll play even better."  
  
"It _is _a nice broom, isn't it?" she said. She paused, and then a look of curiosity crossed her face. "In fact, it's a _very _nice broom. I mean, I knew Fred and George were doing really well, but not _this _well."  
  
Harry could see the gears turning in her head; her line of reasoning heading into very dangerous waters.  
  
"Erm," Harry broke in quickly, "so when are you going to try it? We should give it a workout and see how it does. I can bring the Firebolt, and I'm sure Ron wants to see it in action, too."  
  
"That would be great! I can't wait to try it. Maybe this afternoon after classes?" asked Ginny.  
  
"All right," Harry said.  
  
Harry walked back to finish his breakfast, feeling very pleased about the whole thing. He was very glad that he had decided to do it. He looked over at Ginny, who was looking at her new broom with pride and excitement as she displayed it to more curious students.  
  
After finishing his cereal, he looked back down the table. Ginny was giving him a very odd look with her jaw hanging open slightly. When she saw him looking back, she quickly closed her mouth and looked down at her own breakfast. He thought he could see a bit of a blush running up her neck.  
  
_Oh no, she suspects something, _he thought with a sinking feeling, and then felt his own face heating up. He desperately tried to force it back down to no avail. He glanced down the table as she looked back at him again. Her eyes seemed to widen as she saw the blush on his face, and she quickly looked down again.  
  
Harry groaned to himself. _Well, she doesn't know anything for certain, _he thought, as he got up from the table. He hoped she wouldn't ask Fred and George too many questions. __  
  
* * *  
  
Harry, Hermione and Ron walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, now relocated down in the dungeons. It was a rather large room, with a dueling arena off to one side as well as large variety of defense devices stacked neatly on shelves. Harry was impressed despite himself. Apparently Snape had decided to make a big impression in his new position; his Potions classroom had never seemed as well stocked.  
  
Although the class was obviously intended to teach a different subject, there was no doubt it had a Snape-ish flavor. The room had nothing that was not essential to teaching the subject. Even Snape's podium seemed built to strictly utilitarian standards.  
  
Harry felt extremely tense. Defense was _his _subject, and Snape felt like a foreign invader. He didn't know how this year was going to go; all he knew was that his days of taking abuse from Snape were over.  
  
Oddly, Snape's criteria for accepting students in Advanced Defense were less strict than what he required for Potions. He accepted any grade from Acceptable upwards.  
  
They found some seats in about the middle of the room. Harry's anxiety continued to grow as more students filed in and took seats. Since fewer students took the advanced studies, the class included sixth years from all the houses. Harry had never taken classes with many of the students, and he noticed they were giving him curious glances.  
  
Snape suddenly walked into the classroom, and a silence immediately descended upon the room. He took his post at the podium at the front of the room, slowly looking over the room, surveying the students. He began to call the role in his traditional soft voice, perfectly audible in the dead quiet of the room. Harry was oddly reminded of his first year at Hogwarts.  
  
"So. Here you will be learning Defense against the Dark Arts. As you all know, the – competence – of this position has been extremely suspect in your previous years," Snape said, wrinkling his nose as if a bad odor had wafted through the room.  
  
Hatred rose in Harry, thinking of Professor Lupin, who was certainly _not _incompetent.  
  
"However. Today is a new day at Hogwarts for the position, and I fully intend to bring all of you up to speed. With – recent events – in mind, much of our focus will be on skills useful in dueling and combat," Snape said and paused, letting the thought sink in. "It is not an exaggeration to say that your life may depend on paying attention in this class. I _suggest _you not disappoint me.  
  
"Some of you will certainly need more – remedial work – than others," Snape said smoothly, looking at Neville. The Slytherins started sniggering.  
  
"And others among you undoubtedly have a higher opinion of yourselves than you should," Snape said, curling his lip at Harry as he said it. Harry glared back at him, refusing to back down, as he heard the Slytherins now outright laughing. Snape held Harry's stare for several seconds.  
  
"Potter! What is the best defense against a Cavendish Bludgeoning spell modified with a thirty degree wand twist?" Snape said suddenly.  
  
Harry thought he could see Hermione's hand twitching and wanting to rise, but she held back.  
  
Harry looked defiantly at Snape. "Well, _sir_, there are a few schools of thought on that. The thirty degree wand twist gives the spell additional power, but the extra movement can tip off your opponent to your intention. Watson recommends using Protego with a wand flick. Wilkinson, on the other hand, likes a more offensive approach where a Specula charm can reflect and aim the spell back at the opponent. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, of course. Watson's method is quick and more reliable, with a greater chance of full deflection. Wilkinson is more risky, but with proper practice one can aim the return spells quite accurately. My personal opinion is that the correct method depends on the circumstances; number of opponents, battle terrain –"  
  
"Enough!" Snape cut him off, then smiled coldly. "One point for Gryffindor. And five points deducted for showing off."  
  
"What!" said Ron with outrage. "You foul..."  
  
"Ron!" Hermione hissed at him.  
  
"Another ten points from Gryffindor," Snape said. Ron looked like he wanted to say more. "And don't make me take off another fifty, Mr. Weasley."  
  
Ron clenched his fists, fuming, but said no more. Harry sat back, feeling satisfied. Even the deduction of points couldn't dampen Harry's mood. He knew he should make his expression more neutral and not provoke Snape further, but he couldn't help it. Looking at the expression of total hatred on Snape's face, he suspected that Snape would find a way to make Harry pay for showing him up.  
  
"Today," Snape continued, "we will begin with Bludgeoning spells, which are quite effective in duels and battles. They can be launched quickly, can be aimed extremely accurately, and can be difficult to deflect when cast by a skilled dueler."  
  
Snape's expression changed suddenly and his lip curled up slightly into a smirk. "Potter!"  
  
Harry felt a stab of nervousness. He did not like the look on Snape's face. Not at all.  
  
"You appear to know so much about the defense of these spells. Perhaps you'd care to demonstrate for the rest of the class," Snape said smoothly. "Please join me in the dueling area."  
  
Harry could feel every eye in the room on him as he got up from his chair and walked over to the side of the room where the dueling arena was set up. He was feeling extremely nervous. He'd had precious little use of any magic recently, much less full defensive spells. He looked around at the other students. The Slytherins were whispering to each other with huge grins on their faces. Ron looked hopeful, and Hermione looked frightened, her hands wringing in her lap. He noticed Parvati sitting behind his seat with a very large smile on her face. She had apparently been sitting behind him and he hadn't noticed.  
  
He looked back at Snape, who had an expression of pure loathing on his face. Harry pulled out his wand. He knew he needed to pull himself together, but everyone watching him was making him very edgy and anxious.  
  
Harry had barely raised his wand when Snape shouted without warning, "_Everbero!" _To Harry's shock, he used the wand twist, normally a very powerful spell.  
  
"_Protego!"_ Harry shouted, but it was too late. The spell hit him full in the chest, throwing him across the room. He slid on the hard mat, coming to a stop. He rolled over painfully, and felt the side of his body. A sharp pain stabbed through his side, which made him suspect that he had a broken rib.  
  
The Slytherins were shouting with braying laughter. As Harry peered back at Snape, he could see a look of satisfaction on his face.  
  
"Do you need the hospital wing, Potter?" asked Snape, who sounded almost hopeful.  
  
Although Harry felt he probably did need it, he would be damned if he would admit it to Snape. "No, I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Return to your seat, then," said Snape.  
  
As Harry walked painfully to his seat, still hearing the Slytherins mocking him, Snape said, "Apparently fame isn't everything."  
  
* * *  
  
"That greasy git!" Ron said, still fuming after the Defense class. Ron and Hermione were helping Harry toward the Hospital Wing after class. The rest of the class had been difficult, as Snape had everyone pair off and practice shield spells. Harry's movement had been very restricted, and he found it difficult to fully block the spells. Every quick movement caused a stab of pain in his side.  
  
They walked into the infirmary, where they saw Madam Pomfrey seated at her desk. "Well, Mr. Potter. Didn't take long for you to come visit me this year, did it?" she said.  
  
Madam Pomfrey clucked over Harry's injury as she quickly healed the broken bone. She told him that he had to sit still for fifteen minutes and then could leave.  
  
"Erm, Harry, maybe you shouldn't provoke Snape quite that much," said Hermione nervously. Harry glared at her.  
  
Hermione continued quickly. "Now, I don't mean that you did anything _wrong _today, and Snape definitely shouldn't have hit you with that strong of a spell, but..."  
  
"But, what?" Harry demanded.  
  
"Well, I'm just saying that maybe you should be a little – careful."  
  
"I am _not _going to back down from him," Harry said angrily.  
  
"Ron! What do you think?" Hermione said.  
  
Ron looked startled. "Uh, well, I think Harry should handle it the way he thinks is best," he said uncomfortably. Hermione glared at him, and Ron looked away.  
  
Harry sighed. "All right, all right. I'll try and control myself. No promises, though."  
  
Hermione gave him a worried look, but decided to leave it at that.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry stopped, stunned, in the door of the new Potions classroom, almost causing Ron and Hermione to run into the back of him. He slowly continued walking in, looking about the room in shock.  
  
If Professor Melanadray herself was as different from Snape as possible, her classroom matched that dynamic as well. The sun was streaming through the windows, bathing the room in a bright, cheerful glow, a startling contrast to the old Potions classroom located in the dungeons. Even the vials of potions on the well-stocked shelves seemed to be a brighter shade of color. Where Snape's classroom had contained the bare essentials for teaching within the cold gray stone of the walls, Melanadray had hung warmly colored wall rugs.  
  
Harry distractedly followed Hermione toward a seat. He was so used to the subject of Potions being a cruel experience that the new room almost seemed like a surrealistic dream. He didn't seem to be alone in the thought as he noticed the other students looking around with wide eyes of shock, even the Slytherins.  
  
Ron snickered. "I wish I could see Snape's reaction to this. Can't you just imagine him curling that lip as he looked at this room?"  
  
Harry and Hermione laughed. "Well, he did handpick the new professor, so it's his own fault," said Hermione. She looked approvingly around the room. "I like it."  
  
"It's better than Snape's old room, but it's a tad, er, feminine for my tastes," Ron said, looking at a soft pink-colored wall rug showing a scene of some happy baby dragons playing.  
  
The new Professor walked into the room and took her place at the front of the classroom. If she had seemed pretty from across the Great Hall the other night, she was positively stunning close up. Harry and Ron looked at each other, seeming to share the same thought. Ron coughed a bit as he caught a glare from Hermione.  
  
"Hello everyone, my name is Professor Melissa Melanadray, and I'll be teaching the subject of Potions. Of course, I know that many of you will probably miss Professor Snape as the Potions teacher, but I'll try and fill his shoes as best I can," she said, smiling.  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged another glance with eyebrows raised.  
  
As she began to call the role, Harry pulled out his Potions textbook, which he was going to share with Ron. Since Ron hadn't scored an Outstanding OWL in Potions, he didn't purchase a textbook. Ron had owled Mrs. Weasley to pick up the textbook on her next trip to Diagon Alley.  
  
"Potter, Harry," she called, startling Harry out of his thoughts.  
  
"Uh, here," Harry said.  
  
She gave him a warm smile. "Yes, of course you are," she said, making a mark next to his name.  
  
As she began her lecture, Harry found himself nervous for entirely different reasons than he'd felt in the past with Snape. He tried to pay attention, but he kept wondering exactly why she seemed to look at him so knowingly.  
  
She finished the lecture, and Harry began putting together his ingredients. It was a rather complicated potion; just the kind of thing that was easy to get wrong if one didn't pay attention. He was about to add a certain ingredient when Professor Melanadray came up behind.  
  
"Whoa there, Mr. Potter, you want the pickled spider hair," she said.  
  
Harry blinked at her. The whole idea of a helpful Potions teacher was even more bizarre than anything he'd seen yet.  
  
She lightly touched his shoulder and leaned over him to pick up a vial. "I think this is what you want," she said, looking him in the eye and smiling. He gulped. He hadn't realized how blue her eyes were.  
  
Except for that one little hiccup, Harry felt like it was one of the easiest Potions lessons he'd ever had. Not having Snape glowering over him gave him a wonderful sense of freedom. He finished the potion with a confident flourish and put it in a bottle for marking.  
  
At the end of class he walked up to the front and added his potion to the others. "That looks perfect, Mr. Potter," she said, beaming at him. Harry couldn't help but blush at the praise.  
  
As they walked out of the classroom, Ron said, "Wow. That was different."  
  
"Yes, I agree. And she really seems to know her subject!" Hermione said excitedly. Unlike Snape, Professor Melanadray seemed to welcome questions, the more the better. This was heaven for Hermione, who had a seemingly endless list of questions.  
  
"I think she took a bit of a fancy to you, Harry," said Ron, smirking.  
  
Ron imitated her voice, speaking in a sultry, breathy tone. "I think _this _is what you want," he said, batting his eyes at Harry.  
  
"Shut it, Ron," Harry said, irritated. "She was nice to everyone."  
  
"Not like she was to you," he said.  
  
"Come on, let's go get some lunch," Harry said grumpily.  
  
"Good idea," said Ron. "We have our first Transfiguration this afternoon, and I don't want to face McGonagall on an empty stomach."  
  
"Is there _anything _you want to face on an empty stomach, Ron?" said Hermione.  
  
Ron shot her a grin. "Good point."  
  
That afternoon, they headed to McGonagall's Advanced Transfiguration class, which like most of the advanced classes, had all four houses in the same class. As Harry looked about the room, he noticed a short, skinny boy waving at Hermione. She smiled at him and walked over as Ron and Harry took seats.  
  
Harry looked over at Hermione curiously. "Who's that Hermione's talking to?" he said.  
  
Ron glared at Joseph. "Aw, some Ravenclaw bloke she met at the bookshop when we bought our school stuff," he said gruffly.  
  
"Oh," Harry said vaguely and began to dig his Transfiguration book out of his bag.  
  
"Don't like the looks of that one," Ron said, casting another malevolent look toward the two.  
  
"What? What's wrong with him?" Harry said, looking up and peering across the room. "He's supposed to be pretty smart, actually."  
  
Ron glared at him. Harry said quickly, "Oh, uh, well, not that smart, of course. Yes, you're right, he looks a bit ... erm, ..."  
  
"Exactly!" Ron said, nodding and frowning. "Can't be too careful nowadays, right?"  
  
"Erm," Harry said.  
  
"Bloody git tried to get her to study with him at the bookshop. She said yes to humor him, but she'll be too smart to fall for that ploy, though," Ron said.  
  
"Erm," Harry said, watching Hermione looking interested in something Joseph was saying.  
  
Just then Professor McGonagall walked into the classroom and Hermione scurried to her seat next to Ron and Harry.  
  
As McGonagall taught the lesson, Harry noticed Ron glancing over to Hermione and shooting glares at the back of Joseph's head. Ron seemed to grow more and more fidgety as the hour wore on, until Harry felt like casting a rope spell to tie him to his chair. Mercifully the class finally ended; Harry breathing a sigh of relief.  
  
Joseph smiled at Hermione as he walked out of the class, and Hermione gave him a shy smile back.  
  
"What'd _he_ want, earlier?" Ron asked Hermione suspiciously, as they began to gather up their books.  
  
"Oh, er," Hermione said, blushing a bit. "He just wanted to say hello."  
  
"Seemed to take quite a while to just say hello," Ron said mulishly.  
  
Hermione looked irritated. "Just what is your point, Ron?"  
  
Harry put his hands to his temples and began rubbing.  
  
"He didn't ask you to _study _with him, did he?" Ron asked accusingly.  
  
"What business is it of _yours, _Ron Weasley?" she said, throwing her bag over shoulder angrily. She began to walk out of the class.  
  
"I'm just... you are, aren't you? You're meeting him later!" Ron called to her retreating back.  
  
Ron picked up his own books moodily. "Barking mad," he said under his breath.  
  
* * *  
  
Ron sat alone in the common room, looking at his large pile of homework. Harry had gone off to study in Dumbledore's library, and Hermione had walked out without even talking to him. He sighed, wondering what he was going to do about her.  
  
_What's wrong with me?_ he thought. The summer had gone by so fast, and he was still no closer to figuring out Hermione's feelings toward him. He thought back to the scene at the lake, which had been a perfect time. He balled up his fists and pounded himself on the head, not for the first time since then.  
  
_Stupid, stupid, stupid! _he thought. Why didn't he do something then? He should have just talked to her straight away. But how do you talk about something like that? He needed some kind of _signal_. What exactly that signal looked like he had no clue.  
  
And now that Krum was out, this bloody git Joseph was in. Did Hermione really like that little, skinny twit?  
  
_You know that Hermione would go for the smart blokes, _he thought morosely. _But didn't I get eight bloody OWLs? I'm not an idiot_.  
  
Thinking about his grades led him thinking about the other issue in his life. His scoring eight OWLs had not only been a shock to him, but he thought it might have been a shock to McGonagall as well. He had alluded to perhaps becoming an Auror to her last year at his career meeting, which had caused her to raise her eyebrows a bit, but she had dutifully filled him in on what it would take. His OWL results had been just good enough to get him into the classes required, particularly since Snape was now the Defense teacher.  
  
He had done a lot of thinking after his OWL results had come in; it had almost felt like a second chance. He had never been the most serious of students, and Hermione had needed to push him more than once in the past years. But now he had an actual shot, a real shot, at being an Auror.  
  
He looked over at the Portrait hole, wondering where Hermione went off to. He grumbled as he read another few pages of his textbook, but it was difficult to concentrate.  
  
_I bet she went to the library with that git, _he thought. He was getting more and more antsy and finally decided he'd never be able to concentrate unless he figured out where she was.  
  
He closed his books, went up to the dorm and dropped off his school work. He walked down the Tower stairs and out the portrait hole, feeling annoyed with the entire concept of Ravenclaw. _Bunch of bloody arrogant gits, _he thought. _Well, Luna is all right, _he thought grudgingly.  
  
He came up to the library door. He knew that Hermione normally sat towards the back where she was closer to the books, but he wasn't sure she would stick to her normal routine. He eased open the door a crack and peeked in.  
  
He saw Hermione sitting at her normal table, with Joseph sitting next to her. Ron's face pinched into a scowl, looking at the two of them. _Couldn't they sit across from each other? _he thought, peeved.  
  
_Well, Weasley, now you know. Hermione is studying with him, _he thought. Part of him was telling himself that he should head back to the Gryffindor Tower, but another part surged strongly. He needed to see her face, to see if she was enjoying sitting with the puny git.  
  
He paused again, hand in front of the door, considering his options. _If Hermione catches me, I'll be in big trouble, _he thought nervously. Suddenly he grasped the door and eased it open slowly. He peered around the door, and the two of them were still sitting with their back toward him. There were shelves of books that he could hide behind and see what was going on.  
  
_Just a quick peek, and then I'll leave, _he thought.  
  
He tiptoed through the door, closing it gently. The library was fairly empty this time of night and was dead quiet. He walked quietly past Madam Pince, seated at her desk, who barely registered him passing as she reviewed a large stack of checkout cards.  
  
He turned down one of the book aisles, now out of visual sight of Hermione and Joseph. He walked down the aisle until he came to the opposite library wall, and then walked down along the wall, parallel to the two. He stopped at the aisle that was next to their table. This was the most dangerous spot, where they could potentially see him out of the corner of their eye. Ron peeked around the corner, and both of them seemed to be working. Taking a large step, he quickly moved across the aisle to the opposite bookshelf.  
  
He waited for a long few seconds for any sort of sign of recognition, and all seemed to be quiet. He smirked a bit. _Ha! The Weasley sneakiness comes through, _he thought.  
  
He walked down a few more shelves and then walked down an aisle where he could see their faces if he peeked through the shelves. He pulled out a couple of books from his side, and then carefully pulled a few books out from the other side, giving him a view of the two. He could see them each working on some sort of essay. Hermione didn't look unusual; if anything, she might as well have been studying by herself.  
  
He watched her for several minutes, and was about to put the books back and head out when Joseph spoke up.  
  
"I'm really glad we're studying together," he said a bit shyly.  
  
_I'll just bet you are, _Ron thought, his annoyance rising with every second. He briefly felt guilty about eavesdropping, but he had to know what Hermione was going to say.  
  
"It's, er, unusual that I study with someone who enjoys it so much," Hermione said.  
  
_I like studying! _Ron thought. _Well, maybe not in the first few years... all right, maybe not so much before now, but, er, I don't complain nearly as much..._  
  
"It was fun discussing that Potions essay with you. Your essays are always so well researched," Joseph said.  
  
"Oh, well, your essay was very well done, too," Hermione said, flattered.  
  
_Sometimes I like discussing our essays! _Ron thought. _Well, usually when you check my answers, but..._  
  
Joseph seemed to grow very nervous. "Erm, Hermione, can I ask you a, well, personal question?"  
  
Hermione seemed to grow nervous as well. Ron's eyes narrowed, and his fists began to open and close of their own accord.  
  
"All right, what is it?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Um, do you have a boyfriend?" Joseph asked, his eyes darting around, looking anywhere but Hermione.  
  
_Tell me that runt isn't hitting on her,_ Ron thought furiously. He wondered exactly how much pressure it would take to snap his neck in half.  
  
"Well," Hermione said and paused. "No. No, I don't."  
  
Ron's heart felt like someone had just pulled it out of his chest, stomped on it, and shoved it back in. Hermione's face had an odd expression that Ron couldn't identify.  
  
Joseph smiled slightly. "I mean, I was just wondering, because you hang around so much with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."  
  
"They're my best friends," she said.  
  
Never had the word 'friend' sounded so awful to Ron.  
  
Joseph nodded awkwardly. "Um, so what do you think of this paragraph?" he said, as he passed his essay over to her. Hermione looked delighted that someone was asking her opinion as she read the passage in question.  
  
Ron carefully replaced the books in the shelves and sneaked out of the library without being seen. As he walked along the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower, he considered what he just saw. _So Joseph the Runt thinks he's going to move in, does he? _he thought angrily. _I'll show Hermione that he's not the only one that likes studying._  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Another bit o' thanks to my faithful beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Feel free to put a review in the ol' tip jar. :)_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._  



	13. Chapter 12 Battles of Different Sorts

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 12: Battles of Different Sorts_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione stared at her essay, trying to pay attention as she wrote another line. She was finding it difficult to concentrate after her conversation with Joseph, who was sitting next to her.  
  
Had he really just asked her if she had a boyfriend? She had been wondering if he was really interested in her, but there wasn't much to misinterpret in _that _question. She wasn't sure if she had any reciprocal interest, but she had to admit it was nice to have a boy her own age be relatively direct about it.  
  
_Unlike certain people, _she thought, annoyed. She wondered where Ron was right then. _Probably off goofing around somewhere._  
  
"Joseph, you know that we're going to start up Dumbledore's Army meetings again. It was kind of a secret club last year to practice defense, but this year it's more in the open," she said.  
  
"Er, yes, I saw the posting on the Bulletin Board," he said.  
  
"Do you want to come?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Um, no, I don't think so, sorry. That isn't really my sort of thing," he said, a bit pompously. "In fact, I didn't even take the OWL exam."  
  
Hermione blinked. "You didn't like the subject?"  
  
"Well, I believe in peaceful solutions to problems. I mean, the early Defense years are useful, like learning to handle Boggarts, but later on it's all about violence. I mean, they call it defense, but most of it is really about attacking other people," he said.  
  
Hermione thought this was a bit of an odd take on it, but decided not to push the subject.  
  
"All right, then," she said, smiling uncertainly before turning back to her essay.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry felt tense as he walked into Snape's classroom with Ron and Hermione. It was the first time he'd seen Snape since their first class of the year, and he felt a kind of cold anger bubbling in him. Even though he had promised Hermione that he'd control himself, he was not going to take his abuse.  
  
"Back, Potter?" said Draco snidely. "After your humiliation last time, I'm surprised you're showing your face. Interesting how poorly you do with a _real _teacher."  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy," said Harry, irritated. He really didn't want to deal with Malfoy on top of Snape.  
  
"What's the matter, Potter? Afraid that you're getting exposed for the fraud you are?" asked Draco.  
  
"And what's your claim to fame, Malfoy?" said Ron. "Spending your father's money?"  
  
Malfoy gave him cold look. "Someday you'll understand what family connections are all about, Weasley."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean? That you'll use your father's connections in Azkaban?" said Ron.  
  
Snape marched into the classroom and the room became instantly silent. After calling the role, he began the lesson.  
  
"Your bludgeoning and shield spell work in the last class was unacceptable. Apparently we will require more remedial work that I had thought," he said, glancing at Harry with a sneer. Harry felt his temper rising as the Slytherins sniggered.  
  
"I will demonstrate the proper shield techniques. Who would care to demonstrate with me?"  
  
"Don't do it, Harry," Hermione whispered.  
  
Harry ignored her as he raised his hand, looking defiantly at Snape. Hermione buried her face in her hands.  
  
"Potter," Snape said smoothly. "Let's hope your bludgeoning spells are better than your shield spells."  
  
Harry said nothing as he left his seat and walked over to the dueling area. He could feel all the eyes on him again, but he just didn't care this time.  
  
"Feel free to use any bludgeoning spell you wish, Potter. You _do _remember the proper spells, don't you?"  
  
The Slytherins laughed loudly. Harry felt a cold anger rising in him. _Any bludgeoning spell I wish, huh? _he thought. There was a very advanced spell he had been practicing. It wasn't as accurate, but it was very powerful and difficult to block. The spell curved through the air, fooling the recipient into thinking it was going to miss, but then curved back in.  
  
Snape had a slight smirk on his face as Harry assumed a formal dueling position in front of him. All of his concentration was focused on Snape... the room seemed to fall away as all he saw was his enemy who needed to be defeated...  
  
"_Battuere_ _Arcus!" _ Harry snapped. The spell appeared to burst from his wand in slow motion as he saw it arch away from Snape and then suddenly curve back in. Snape's eyes were wide as he attempted to block the spell, but it slipped by his shield and slammed into his shoulder. Snape spun in the air as he flew ten feet backward and landed on his back with a dull thud.  
  
There was a horrified silence in the room as everyone looked between Harry and Snape, wondering what would happen next.  
  
_Don't say anything. Don't say it. Don't say it. _"Professor, do you need the hospital wing?" Harry asked innocently. _I shouldn't have said it. _He could see Hermione out of the corner of his eye running her hands through her hair in exasperation.  
  
Snape looked at Harry with an expression of purest loathing and appeared that he was desperately trying to maintain control over himself. He got up and brushed off his robe. "I am – uninjured, Potter. Please take your seat."  
  
Harry walked back to his seat. Ron was looking smug, while Hermione was looking fearful. He noticed Parvati was sitting behind him again, giving him a big smile. He also saw that Draco looked furious, which only made the whole incident sweeter.  
  
He sat down, trying desperately to keep a neutral expression on his face as Snape walked back to the front of the class.  
  
"Well, this demonstrates that as important as shield spells are, one must be prepared for even the occasional lucky hit," he said. "Still, I cannot deny that Potter's spell was effective. One point to Gryffindor," said Snape.  
  
"Lucky?" Ron said with outrage, below his breath.  
  
"Let it go, Ron," Hermione said warningly, in a low voice.  
  
They spent the rest of the class practicing bludgeoning and shield spells, but Harry noticed that Snape's shoulder looked odd, and that he would grimace whenever he thought no one was looking. Harry felt a cold satisfaction and had to admit that it felt very, very good to pay back a bit of the abuse he had suffered over the years.  
  
* * *  
  
"Broken clavicle! That's what Justin Finch-Fletchley overheard when he was in the Hospital Wing getting his finger reattached," said Ron with a smirk.  
  
"What happened to Justin's finger?" asked Hermione curiously.  
  
"Something about a severing charm that got away from him," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
They were sitting in the Great Hall, having their lunch after completion of the morning classes. Harry was in high spirits so far that day, feeling like he'd finally scored a point off Snape for once. Part of him knew that it was still early in the year, and that he shouldn't get too overconfident, but he wanted to enjoy the feeling while he could.  
  
"Er, where's the clavicle?" asked Harry.  
  
"Dunno, but it sounds painful," said Ron.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "The clavicle is the bone in your shoulder; the collarbone," she said loftily, gesturing to her own shoulder.  
  
"Look, Harry, this'll be it, right?" said Hermione, switching subjects nervously. "I mean, everything is even now."  
  
Harry's expression grew angry. "It depends on Snape. I'm not going to back down to him."  
  
"Don't you think this has a bit of potential to, er, get out of control?" said Hermione, biting her lip.  
  
Harry stabbed at his lunch. "Hermione, you don't understand! I'm sick of Snape and his taking out his hatred of my father on me. I'm not going to put up with his rubbish any longer!"  
  
Hermione looked unhappy as she looked for support from Ron, who in turn looked away from her. She sighed.  
  
"All right, Harry," she said, looking like it wasn't all right at all. Harry had a feeling that the subject wasn't closed as far as she was concerned, and he would hear more later.  
  
They finished the rest of their lunch in silence. As they were cleaning up their places, a small first year student walked up nervously.  
  
"Er, Mr. Potter? Professor McGonagall wanted me to give you and Mr. Weasley this note," he said, seeming to try and keep a safe distance away from Harry.  
  
"Thanks," Harry said, as he took the note. The student scurried away, looking fearful. Harry sighed, wondering if people would ever see him as a normal person.__  
  
Harry read the note. "McGonagall wants to see us in her office," he said, feeling anxious.  
  
"McGonagall? I haven't done anything. Did you do anything?" Ron said, looking like he was searching his memory for any recent rule breaking.  
  
"No..." Harry said slowly. "Well, we'd best get it over with. We'll see you later, Hermione."  
  
"All right. It's probably nothing," Hermione said, appearing worried but trying to give them an encouraging look. "Let me know what happens."  
  
"Yeah, probably nothing," Ron said, trying to convince himself.  
  
Harry and Ron headed out of the Great Hall toward Gryffindor Tower where McGonagall's office was located. They came up to the door, and Harry knocked softly, glancing at Ron.  
  
"Come in," said McGonagall briskly.  
  
Harry pushed the door open and peeked inside.  
  
"Potter, Weasley. Come in, please," said McGonagall, gesturing toward some chairs in her office.  
  
Harry and Ron took a seat in front of the large desk. Harry looked over to Ron, who seemed to wear the same nervous expression that Harry was feeling.  
  
"For goodness sakes, boys, no reason to be so jumpy," said McGonagall, looking over her half-moon glasses. "Unless there is something I should know about?"  
  
"No!" said Harry and Ron together.  
  
"Good," she said, with the barest hint of a smile.  
  
Her face took on a businesslike look as she continued. "Right then. There is the matter of the open Quidditch captaincy. I called both of you here, because Katie Bell turned down the position. You both are the next logical choices as the oldest players, and I wanted you both to understand the reasoning," she said.  
  
Harry looked at Ron, who had an unreadable expression on his face. For Harry's part, he hadn't really thought about being Quidditch captain before. Did he really want it? Part of him was excited by the prospect, but another part really didn't want to. As Dumbledore said last year, he really had "enough responsibility to be going on with."  
  
He also knew that it would mean much more to Ron than it meant to him. And wasn't Ron really the logical choice anyway? He knew more about Quidditch than Harry would ever know. Not to mention that as Keeper he was in a much better position to see the field and strategize effectively.  
  
He had a feeling that McGonagall was about to hand him the captaincy, so he decided to head her off.  
  
"Um, Professor McGonagall, I really think that Ron should be captain," Harry said.  
  
Ron looked over at him in shock.  
  
"Really, Potter?" said McGonagall, raising her eyebrows.  
  
"Yes. Ron knows everything about Quidditch. He would make a great captain," Harry said.  
  
"Well, I'm happy to hear you say that, Potter, since I've already decided to make Mr. Weasley captain, assuming he wants the job," said McGonagall.  
  
"I do!" said Ron, eyes wide. He looked like he couldn't quite believe the whole conversation was taking place.  
  
"I want you to know that I strongly considered you as captain, Potter, but I dislike Seekers as captain. And frankly, despite his short time on the team, I liked what I saw at the end of last year," she said. "You showed a lot of guts, Weasley. Are you ready to keep the Cup in Gryffindor?"  
  
"I am, Professor," Ron said, his chest puffing out so far Harry thought it might burst open.  
  
"All right, boys, dismissed," she said, looking back down to her paperwork.  
  
Harry and Ron left her office and began walking down the corridor.  
  
"Erm, Harry, did you mean what you said? About not wanting the job?" Ron said. "I mean, you've been on the team since your first year. You deserved to be captain."  
  
"Nah, you know that Seekers don't make good captains. And you've been living and breathing Quidditch your whole life. McGonagall made the right choice; I shouldn't get it just because I've been on the team the longest. Congratulations, mate," said Harry sincerely.  
  
"Thanks! Let's go find Hermione and Ginny and tell them!"  
  
Harry was a bit surprised by just how sincere he was. It was one thing to think it in McGonagall's office, but the reality was another thing, and he really was happy for Ron.  
  
They came to the Gryffindor portrait hole, giving the password, and entered the common room. They saw Hermione and Ginny talking at a table, and Ron ran up excitedly.  
  
"Hermione! Ginny! McGonagall made me captain of the team!" Ron said proudly.  
  
"Oh Ron, I'm so happy for you!" Hermione got up and hugged him excitedly.  
  
"Oh fine, make _you _captain, what about me?" Ginny said sulkily, then grinned at him. "Congratulations, Ron."  
  
"I can't wait for Quidditch season," Ron said, rubbing his hands together. "Our Beaters are a bit suspect, but they started showing a lot of improvement toward the end of last year. We'll have Ginny as a Chaser, so we'll need to pick up one more at the tryouts. Well, Ginny will need to try out, too. Can't show favoritism, right? But how can she miss with that new broom?"  
  
"Erm, Harry, come to think of it," Ron continued a bit awkwardly, "you're not really on the team. I'll probably need for you to try out, too."  
  
Harry smiled. "No worries, captain."  
  
"I like the sound of that," Ron said, smiling back.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry looked around the Room of Requirement, looking again like the perfect place for his D.A. meetings. Hermione looked with approval at the shelf of books, while Ron was inspecting a set of 'magic knuckles'; a set of four rings locked together that caused a person punched with them to be stunned.  
  
They had arrived a half-hour beforehand, which Tonks had suggested for the first meeting so they could talk a bit about the D.A.  
  
The door opened, and Tonks walked in, wearing what looked like some tight-fitting Auror training gear. Her hair was shortened to a very practical cut.  
  
"All right, Harry?" she said brightly.  
  
"Hi Tonks!" said Harry, as Ron and Hermione called out a greeting as well. "Thanks for being our advisor."  
  
"No problem. It'll be fun! I'm looking forward to it. I can't guarantee that I'll always be available with my Auror duties, but I'll try and give you some notice when I can," she said. "If I can't make it, I'll find someone to come in my place. Trust me, there won't be any lack of volunteers."  
  
"I understand. It'll be great to have you here to give us some experienced advice," said Harry.  
  
"Let me just say going in that it's your show, Harry," said Tonks. "You let me know what you want me to do, and where I can be helpful."  
  
"All right," Harry said. "By the way, that Auror training manual was really helpful in coming up with lesson plans."  
  
"Good. That's one of the things I was thinking when I gave it to you. A lot of thought went into that manual, so I figured it would be helpful."  
  
Tonks looked around the room. "Wow! This place is great. It's perfect for this purpose. I didn't even know Hogwarts had a training room like this."  
  
"Well, it doesn't, really. It called the 'Room of Requirement'. It changes depending on your needs. A house-elf showed it to me when we needed a secret spot last year. It worked so well that we decided to keep it as our meeting room."  
  
Tonks looked impressed. "I wish I had known about this room when I was at Hogwarts. I can think of a lot of uses," she said, giving Harry a little sly wink and causing Harry to blush a little.  
  
They spent the rest of the time discussing Harry's goals for the year. Students began trickling in as they got closer to the appointed hour.  
  
"There's a lot more people than last year," Harry said to Hermione, a bit nervous.  
  
Hermione beamed at him. "Yes, I thought it might be quite popular now that it's out in the open."  
  
Harry turned to Tonks. "I'm really glad you're here, now. It would have been hard to manage everyone all by myself."  
  
"Um, Harry?" said a familiar voice behind him.  
  
Harry turned around and was surprised to see Cho.  
  
"Oh, uh, hi, Cho," Harry said awkwardly.  
  
"Hi, Harry," she said shyly. "Er, did you enjoy your summer?"  
  
"It was all right. And you?" Harry said. The small talk felt bizarre to him after everything that happened the previous year.  
  
"It was nice," she said, looking as awkward as Harry felt.  
  
There was a long pause, and then she suddenly blurted out, "I'm so sorry about what happened last year. Sorry about – everything."  
  
Harry nodded, not sure what to say.  
  
"I'd really like to be here, you know, if it's all right with you," she said, her eyes cast downward.  
  
"Sure, I mean, I hope you don't think you need to avoid me or anything," Harry said.  
  
She smiled for the first time. "I'm really happy to hear you say that, Harry," she said. She dropped her voice a bit and looked him in the eye. "You know – I'm feeling a lot better these days about Cedric."  
  
"Uh, that's good," Harry said, wondering why she was bringing up Cedric.  
  
"Well, maybe I'll see you around school?" she said.  
  
"Sure, all right," Harry said. She gave a small wave as she walked back to her friends.  
  
Although Harry couldn't find any feelings left for her, he couldn't help but notice that she had a nice smile. He wished he had seen it more often last year, rather than so many tears. He hadn't thought much about Cho over the summer, but it felt good to talk to her and get some of the lingering awkwardness out of the way.  
  
As Harry waited for the start of the meeting, he noticed anxiously that the room was filling up rapidly. Harry looked over the crowd, estimating that there had to be over eighty students in the room. He didn't think that all were going to fit, but somehow they all found places comfortably.  
  
"Hi, Harry," said Ginny brightly, having just come in with some other fifth year students.  
  
"Er, hi, Ginny," Harry said weakly.  
  
Ginny looked carefully at him, and then leaned over and spoke low so that no one could hear. "Feeling a bit nervous?" she said, smiling.  
  
"Erm, well, yeah, a little bit," Harry said, actually feeling very nervous.  
  
"It's just like last year, only with a few more students. At least we don't have to worry about the Inquisitorial Squad breaking down the door," Ginny said, grinning.  
  
Harry laughed. The whole concept sounded ridiculous now that Dumbledore was back in firm control. "True, although I'd like to see you hit Malfoy with the Bat Bogey hex for myself. And I suppose we don't have to worry about getting terminal pimples that spell out rude words on our faces if we talk about the D.A."  
  
Ginny laughed as well as Harry started to feel a bit more relaxed. Laughing seemed to ease some of his tension.  
  
Finally the flood through the door slowed down. Harry walked to the front of the room, and the crowd grew quiet.  
  
"Hello, everyone," Harry said. "I see we have quite a few new students here, so welcome to them, as well as people from last year.  
  
"The purpose of the group is to practice defense. Just so you know, I don't pretend to know everything about defense, but I think together we can learn a lot. And this year we have a real advisor who is an Auror in the Ministry. Her name is Tonks." Harry gestured at Tonks, who waved to the crowd.  
  
"Any questions?" Harry asked.  
  
"I have a question," said Zacharias Smith.  
  
_Oh no, not him, _Harry thought annoyed, but managed to keep his expression neutral.  
  
"Yes?" Harry responded.  
  
"Just what happened at the Ministry? We all read what was in _The Prophet_, but what's the _real _story?" Zacharias said, somewhat accusingly.  
  
"Why don't you shut it?" Ron said, looking like he wanted to pound him.  
  
"It's all right, Ron," Harry said quietly. It occurred to him that many people probably wanted more information about the Ministry battle, feeling fearful about Voldemort's return. He considered exactly what he should say.  
  
"As many of you know, there was an – incident – at the Ministry. As Dumbledore said, Sirius Black was killed during the battle," Harry said. The room was dead silent.  
  
"What you probably don't know is that Sirius Black was my Godfather. Voldemort used him to lure me to the Ministry to try and kill me. I'm going to be honest with you: it was stupid of me to fall for his plan. Sirius came to the Ministry to save me and died during the battle.  
  
"I was lured there because I was careless. There are a lot of reasons it happened that aren't important right now, but the one thing I learned, and that everyone should learn, is to always be on your guard. Take nothing for granted and don't underestimate your enemy. I guess I know that sounds overly simplistic, but it's the truth."  
  
Harry paused, letting his little speech sink in. "Any other questions?"  
  
There was silence in the room.  
  
"Right then. I think for our first meeting, practicing some basic stunning spells would be a good start. Why don't we split into pairs and practice stunning each other. If you have knowledge of shield spells, then try to block it as well," Harry said.  
  
"Colin!" Harry snapped, smiling at him evilly. "Why don't you be _my _partner, and we can demonstrate for the others a bit?"  
  
Colin looked very nervous as he glanced at his brother Dennis.  
  
"Er, me, Harry? Are you sure?" he said.  
  
"Quite sure, Colin. Come over here," Harry said, walking over and gripping his arm. "I have a couple of _special _spells, just for you."  
  
"Oh, er, uh," said Colin, now looking outright fearful, but following Harry dutifully.  
  
"Why don't you start, and I'll try and block it," Harry said.  
  
Colin nervously aimed his wand at Harry. _"Stupefy!"_  
  
Harry easily deflected the spell using a shield spell; barely moving his wand.  
  
"You know, Colin, I saw the Chocolate Frog card with my picture on it," Harry said conversationally. Colin's face fell.  
  
_"Stupefy!" _Harry snapped, using a wand motion that made the spell much more powerful.  
  
Colin tried to block the spell, but was far too late, and he fell over with a loud thud. Harry cast _Ennervate_ to wake him up, and Colin got back to his feet a bit shakily.  
  
"Good try, Colin. Go again," Harry said.  
  
Colin sent another spell that Harry again easily blocked. Colin looked at Harry fearfully.  
  
"You know, it was funny," Harry continued. "I looked at that picture, and I asked myself, now how did that picture get taken?"  
  
"_Stupefy!_" Harry shouted. Colin did a bit better at blocking, but still didn't manage to deflect as he fell backward. Harry grimaced a bit at the hard hit. He revived Colin again.  
  
"Bad luck, old man. Another try?" Harry said.  
  
Colin was definitely looking worse for wear. "Uh, _Stupefy!" _he shouted, his voice quavering. Harry deflected the spell once again as Colin bit his lip, looking around the room as if he was hunting for the best escape.  
  
"Yes sir, a good picture of myself. But how did someone get a picture of me in my Quidditch gear? I didn't remember any odd photographers. Imagine my surprise when I read the caption. Oh, by the by, let me show you this new stunner I've been practicing," Harry said, his smile baring some teeth.  
  
"Ready? _Sopor Irrationalis!"_ Harry shouted, launching a highly powerful spell. It would take Colin days to recover completely.  
  
Colin managed to get his shield spell up, but the powerful stunner ripped through the shield, hitting him almost full force. Colin fell to the floor once again, landing directly on his face. Harry gave the wake up spell, but Colin was still only semi-conscious, so Harry gave the spell again. Finally Colin awoke, looking definitely wobbly on his feet now as he staggered around, unbalanced.  
  
"So, like I was saying, imagine my surprise when I saw _your _name as the photography credit, Colin," Harry said.  
  
Colin looked up, blinking his eyes as he seemed to only half understand what Harry was saying. He raised his wand, intending to take his turn.  
  
"Uh, _Stupefy!_" Colin said, almost mumbling.  
  
Harry blocked the spell and ricocheted it straight back to Colin, who dropped again with an especially loud thud. Harry started to feel a bit guilty, but not too much as he remembered again the Chocolate Frog card. He woke him up and decided to take pity as Colin staggered to his feet.  
  
"All right, Colin?" Harry asked sweetly. Colin didn't seem capable of talking rationally any longer.  
  
"Now, we won't have any more _unauthorized _pictures leaving Hogwarts, will we, Colin?" Harry asked.  
  
"Um, no, no, right then, no pictures," Colin said shakily.  
  
"Why don't you go practice with your brother a bit more; I need to check on everyone's progress," said Harry.  
  
Colin shook and swayed as he walked away in a drunken manner.  
  
Harry carefully avoided looking at Hermione as he could see her giving him a _very _disapproving look. He then noticed Ginny grinning at him and he gave her a small, secret smile as he began walking about the room reviewing everyone's progress.  
  
Harry found Tonks invaluable as they both helped people practice. There were just too many people for Harry to give individual attention to, and he noticed that she was a patient and encouraging teacher.  
  
As last year, Neville was showing remarkable progress as he noticed him practicing with Luna. The D.A. members from last year seemed to do better than the new members, but Harry felt very gratified with everyone's progress.  
  
Toward the end of the meeting, Tonks walked over to Harry.  
  
"Hey, Harry, how about a little fun here at the end?" she said  
  
"Fun?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sure. How about an Expelliarmus Duel, you and I?" said Tonks.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"It's pretty simple. We just duel using Expelliarmus as the only offensive spell, but we can use any shield spell we want. It's great for building reflexes," she said.  
  
"All right," Harry said, smiling.  
  
Harry and Tonks faced off from each other. The other students started looking over curiously, and Harry saw them whispering to each other.  
  
"We'll do a few warm-ups, right? Try and disarm me first," she said.  
  
"_Expelliarmus!" _Harry said.  
  
Tonks easily blocked the spell, moving astoundingly fast. Harry found himself extremely impressed.  
  
"Okay, right back at you. _Expelliarmus!"_ Tonks said.  
  
Harry easily blocked the spell as well.  
  
"Excellent, Harry! Wow, you're fast," Tonks said, causing Harry to blush a bit.  
  
They traded a few more spells, each easily blocking the spell.  
  
"All right, ready to launch at will? We keep going until one is disarmed," she said.  
  
"Okay, ready," Harry said, assuming a dueling stance. Almost the entire room had turned to watch them.  
  
"_Expelliarmus!_" Tonks shouted, as Harry blocked the spell. Harry launched one back, as they kept shooting them back and forth at each other. Tonks had a huge grin on her face as they traded spells, faster and faster.  
  
Harry launched a spell, and Tonks deflected it straight back at him, causing Harry to throw himself out of the way.  
  
"Ha! Almost got you, Harry," said Tonks.  
  
Tonks launched a spell, and Harry did his own deflective shield, shooting it back at Tonks, who deflected it back at him. Harry was ready for the return shot, and easily deflected it. He started getting into a rhythm as they traded spells, sometimes volleying spells back and forth three or four times before they ran out of power or missed entirely.  
  
Harry could see sweat on Tonks' face, and he was growing very weary as well from the constant concentration it was taking. Finally Tonks hit a well-aimed spell that slipped through his defense, causing his wand to fly out of his hands.  
  
"Augh, damn!" Harry shouted, angry with himself. The students applauded the effort, causing Harry to remember that others were watching. He then blushed a bit at his outburst and grinned sheepishly. "I mean, well done, Tonks."  
  
Tonks laughed. "Well, I'd've probably said about the same if you'd caught me," she said. "Are you sure you've never done this before, Harry? You did amazingly well, and I'm not exaggerating here."  
  
"No, I've never done an exercise like that." said Harry.  
  
"You know, Harry, you should know that Metamorphmagi can change our musculature as well as our appearance. It's a bit unfair against normal people," she said.  
  
"How do you mean?" said Harry.  
  
"Well, there is a special guild we go to train with other Metamorphmagi, to learn to use our abilities to full potential. Of course, there is a lot of study of anatomy. One of the things we learn is how to change our muscles. You see, there are two kinds of muscles in the body – muscles used for strength, called slow-twitch, and muscles used for speed, called fast-twitch. Everyone has a certain proportion of each. I can change the proportion, like I can change my appearance. When I do dueling exercises, I change my muscle proportion for speed," said Tonks.  
  
"I noticed that you seemed really fast," said Harry.  
  
"Of course, muscle isn't everything. You need the reflexes as well, which fortunately I came with naturally. Doesn't help with my clumsiness, of course," she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"But anyway, Harry," she continued, "almost no one can stay with me in a reflex duel like that. That you could your first time is almost unheard of. You know what? Let me try something."  
  
She walked over and mumbled a long spell. Her wand glowed a white color, and she began waving it over Harry's body. "This is a muscle measuring spell, used for when we're learning to change our muscle proportion."  
  
As she waved it over Harry's body, the wand glowed a bright red, especially on his limbs. Tonks whistled.  
  
"Wow. I've never measured anyone with that high a proportion of fast-twitch muscles. Let me try something else." She mumbled another spell and waved her wand over Harry's head. "This measures someone's reflex neurology. I sometimes do Auror evaluations and this spell is used in the screening process."  
  
The wand again glowed a bright red; Tonks eyes growing wide as she glanced between the wand and Harry. "You know, Harry, this explains why you're such a good Seeker. Your reflexes are much faster than normal, and your body is built to use them. Incidentally, it's also why you're a bit skinny," she said, winking at him. "You're built for speed, not for heavy lifting."  
  
"So what does it all mean?" Harry asked.  
  
"It means you were born to be an Auror, Harry," Tonks said.  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm really pleased with the progress tonight," Harry said to the D.A. students, as he wrapped up the meeting. "Thank you all for coming, and I'll see you next time."  
  
The students began filing out as Tonks walked up.  
  
"That was great, Harry! You're a pretty good teacher," she said.  
  
Harry flushed a bit at the compliment. "Thanks again for coming. It was really helpful," he said.  
  
"See you next time, right?" she said, waving and saying goodbye to everyone as she walked out.  
  
Harry waved goodbye as well as he began to clean up the room.  
  
"Um, Harry, I need to go," Hermione said nervously.  
  
"All right, see you later, then," Harry said vaguely, grabbing some cushions off the floor.  
  
"Go where?" Ron said suspiciously.  
  
Hermione glared at him. "I'm going to go study!"  
  
"Hmph. Study with the Runt, sounds like to me," said Ron.  
  
Hermione said nothing, as she held her head up walking out.  
  
"I'm going to go study, too!" he called after her. "My Transfiguration essay is already done, I'll have you know!"  
  
Ron looked grumpy. "What does she see in that little twerp? Well, see you later, mate. I want to get that Potions assignment done."  
  
"All right. I'll catch up with you in a bit," Harry said curiously, watching him walk out. Ron had been studying quite a bit lately, without Hermione even needing to nag him.  
  
As he continued to clean up the room, more students filed out of the room until he noticed that only Parvati and Ginny were left. Ginny had been helping him clean up, but he saw her give Parvati a look of disgust and then stalked out of the room.  
  
_Ginny seemed a bit upset about something, _he thought. He was about to chase after her and see what was wrong when Parvati walked up. They were alone in the room now.  
  
"You know, Harry, you did really well tonight," Parvati said, smiling at him. "You're such a good teacher."  
  
"Um, thanks," Harry said, fidgeting.  
  
She took a step closer. "It was very... impressive... watching you dueling with Tonks, even though she got the better at the end."  
  
"Well, can't win them all, right?" he said, looking anywhere but directly at her. She was wearing some sort of perfume that smelled very nice.  
  
"You'll win next time, I'm sure of it," she said, in a slow voice.  
  
"Maybe," he said, his knees shaking a bit.  
  
"You know, I was having a little trouble with my wand motion, toward the end," she said, smiling coyly.  
  
"Er, trouble? It looked like you were doing fine," Harry said, wondering what she was talking about. Her work had looked perfect to his eye.  
  
"Sometimes I think my – flicks – are a bit too swishy," she said. "Would you show me again how it's done?"  
  
"Um, all right." Harry pulled out his wand and demonstrated the proper movement. "Like that."  
  
"Your – wand movement – is always so strong and confident, Harry," she said.  
  
Harry felt a considerable amount of heat moving up his neck, and his voice appeared to have stopped working.  
  
"I'm not sure I quite have it. Would you hold my arm and show me?" she said, holding out her arm. Her dark eyes seemed to grow larger in the dim light of the room. _Dim light? _a small part of him thought. _When did that happen? What is the Room of Requirement doing?_  
  
"Um," he said, his hand shaking a bit as he lightly took her wrist. She turned around so that he was behind her. He took a deep breath of her perfume despite himself.  
  
Harry moved her wand hand in the proper motion. "Er, you see, you move the wand like this."  
  
She leaned her head back a bit so that it was touching his chest; he could feel her hair tickling his neck. "I _think _I see, now," she said. "Maybe just show me a few more times. Also, where should my other arm be? Maybe you could show me where it should go?"  
  
He reached around with his other hand, and took her other arm, now almost embracing her from behind. "Well, uh, your other arm you normally keep at your hip for good balance," he said.  
  
Parvati's body felt very warm next to his as the light in the room seemed to grow even dimmer. He distractedly noticed that a large, very comfortable-looking couch had appeared in the corner, and some quiet, slow music had begun playing.  
  
"That's – wonderful, Harry," she said, almost whispering.  
  
She slowly turned in his arms until she was facing him; her hands lightly touching his chest. He looked down into her dark eyes, the pupils very large. She looked very, very pretty as her lips parted slightly. He could feel her warm breath, which smelled pleasantly of mint. Her head tilted a bit as Harry began to lean down...  
  
Harry suddenly stopped, his lips inches from hers. _Good God, what am I doing? _he thought, panic rising in him.  
  
He swallowed and backed away from her. She blinked and looked at him with a confused expression.  
  
"Erm, I think you have it down, now. Uh, I really have some studying I need to do, so I better go."  
  
"Oh! All right, Harry," she said.  
  
He grabbed his bag and walked to the door, trying not to break out in a run. As he walked through the door and when she could no longer see him, he breathed a sigh of relief. He ran his fingers through his hair, breathing heavily, as he walked quickly down the corridor trying to get a grip on himself.  
  
_Wow, that was a close call_, he thought. _I can't believe I almost kissed Parvati. _A huge conflict arose in his troubled mind. Part of him wanted to go back, but another part saw nothing but trouble.  
  
_She looked awfully pretty back there, _a little voice said in his head. _A little kissing never hurt anyone... _  
  
_She fancies me! _he thought. _Wouldn't it be unfair to kiss her if I don't feel the same? _As tempted as he was to kiss her, he felt like it wouldn't be quite right to lead her on.  
  
Feeling extremely confused, he finally came to the portrait hole and gave the password, allowing him entrance to the common room. He stumbled into a chair next to Ron, who was busily working on his homework.  
  
Ron looked up. "Took you long enough. Where've you been?"  
  
Harry debated with himself about sharing his dilemma with Ron. He finally looked around the room and saw that no one could overhear.  
  
"Parvati tried to kiss me after the meeting," he said quietly.  
  
"Parvati?" Ron said, his face showing confusion. "She fancies you?"  
  
"I dunno; I guess so. Nothing happened, but it was close," Harry said. "Way _too _close."  
  
Ron smirked. "You sure seem to have a way with the ladies after meetings."  
  
Harry looked at him sourly. "All right, all right. Look, just don't leave me alone in there after meetings, all right? It's too... er... risky."  
  
Just then, the portrait hole opened up and Parvati walked in. She gave Harry a very warm smile as she walked up the stairs toward her dorm.  
  
Ron blinked as he watched her walk up the stairs. "Er, yeah. I see what you mean," he said.  
  
"What do I do?" Harry said, putting his hands to the side of his head.  
  
"Avoid her, mate. She's looking mighty dangerous these days. She seems to have, er, filled out quite a bit this summer," Ron said, with a grin.  
  
"I mean, she's nice and all..." said Harry. "But..."  
  
"Say no more," said Ron, holding up his hand. "I understand. Besides, there are... other... girls around, right?" Ron said, giving him a shrewd look.  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed. "What'd'ya mean?"  
  
"Nothing. Say, have you done the Potions essay yet? You want to work on it?" Ron said quickly.  
  
Harry looked at him for several seconds. "All right, let me run upstairs and get some parchment," Harry said, as he got up. He shot a suspicious look back at Ron as he headed up into the Tower.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: Thanks once again to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._  



	14. Chapter 13 A Meeting in Hogsmeade

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 13: A Meeting in Hogsmeade_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry walked to the front of the Potions classroom, feeling very pleased with the results that day. It had been a complex assignment, but somehow having Professor Melanadray made a huge difference in his outlook on the subject.  
  
"Well, Mr. Potter, I must say your work has been excellent lately," Melanadray said to him as he turned in his potion for marking.  
  
Harry noticed bashfully that she looked particularly pretty today with her hair clipped up with a bright red bow. "Um, thanks."  
  
"Oh, would you mind waiting after class? I could use your help with something," she said, smiling at him.  
  
"Sure, no problem," Harry said, feeling pleased despite himself about her picking him to help her.  
  
He went over to Ron and Hermione. "Hey, I'll catch up with you two later. The Professor wants help with something."  
  
Ron gave him a smirk, causing both Hermione and Harry to glare at him.  
  
"What?" Harry said, annoyed.  
  
"Sure, Harry. You're quite the helpful bloke, aren't you? Always willing to lend a hand to someone in need," Ron said, snickering.  
  
"All right, all right, just go," Harry said irritably, as he went to the side of the room to wait.  
  
After the last few students filed out, Harry walked up to Professor Melanadray's desk.  
  
"Thank you so much for helping me, Harry," she said. "It won't take long. I just received a big box of potions, and it's much easier with two people."  
  
"All right," Harry said.  
  
She moved to the side of the classroom and opened up a storeroom, gesturing to him that he should follow her in.  
  
"Here we are. I'll pull them out of the box, and you mark off the inventory on this sheet, all right?" she said, handing him a clipboard.  
  
"All right, Professor," Harry said.  
  
Melanadray giggled a bit and leaned forward. "You don't know how odd it is to hear you call me that."  
  
"Um, really?" Harry asked, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Yes. You know, Harry... may I call you Harry, at least when we're not in class?" she asked.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Well, Harry... you may call me Melissa if you like... anyway... I'm not _that _much older than you are... in fact, we just missed being classmates at Hogwarts. I left the year you came," she said, looking at him carefully. "Thirty ounces of ground bat wings."  
  
"What?" Harry said.  
  
She waved a potions bottle. "Thirty ounces, ground bat wings."  
  
"Oh," Harry said, writing down the quantity.  
  
"One ounce, spider hearts," she continued.  
  
Harry repeated the quantity as he wrote it down.  
  
"It would have been fun to be classmates, wouldn't it?" she said. "You know, I was in Gryffindor, too... we could have been friends. Six ounces, pickled toad."  
  
"Er, yeah, maybe," he said, wondering where she was going with all of this as he wrote down another quantity.  
  
She reached up and pulled out her hair clip, shaking her shiny long, blonde hair out and letting it cascade over her shoulders. Harry felt very flustered watching the process.  
  
"That's better," she said. "I have to be professional in the classroom, but I can be more... relaxed here, right?" she said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye and giving him a smile. "Twelve ounces, bull testicles."  
  
"T-twelve ounces," Harry said, feeling some heat coming up on his face.  
  
They continued unpacking ingredients; Melanadray calling them out and every so often giving Harry another smile. Finally they reached the end; Harry feeling conflicted about whether the end was a good thing or a bad thing.  
  
"Thank you so much for helping me, Harry," she said, putting her hand lightly on his shoulder as she opened up the door to the storeroom.  
  
"Um, sure, anytime," Harry said, feeling a bit of disappointment as she lifted her hand off his shoulder.  
  
"Anytime? I'll keep that in mind, Harry. It's good to have a bloke around that's so... helpful," she said, her azure blue eyes giving him a wink.  
  
Harry felt his breath catch, the wink feeling like a physical punch. At that moment, he felt like she could have asked him to do anything, and he would have gladly complied. Walking out of the classroom, he grinned as he hoped that Voldemort didn't have any Death Eaters like her.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in Dumbledore's library, dust swirling around the torches as they browsed through the very old volumes. Harry looked over at Hermione, who was deeply engrossed in a particular book. He had been spending a lot of time reading in the secret library, but there was no way he could keep up with Hermione, who had been reading through the dusty volumes like a fiend. He knew Hermione was good at research, but he still had to marvel at her recent focus as she made copious notes on spells that she thought might be useful to him.  
  
Even Ron had been excited, for once, about spending time in a library. Since Hermione seemed determined to take a broad approach to everything, he had decided to focus on books devoted to dueling to find spells that might be useful to the D.A. meetings.  
  
For Harry's part, he was currently fascinated with some of the more obscure information. At the moment, he was reading a book with extremely powerful spells used for large scale construction. The mountain tunneling spell he was reading was particularly interesting. Very few wizards could actually do it, and it was a very rare type of spell that concentrated a wizard's power, but temporarily drained it for several hours.  
  
"You know," Harry said musingly, "I'm not even sure why some of this information is restricted. It usually says that most wizards wouldn't even be able to make them work. I mean, they're powerful, but... I guess I expected more summoning of demons from the depths of hell, or splitting the planet in half, or something."  
  
"Yes, I know what you mean, Harry. I suppose the Ministry tends to restrict any sort of spell that could cause large scale damage, even if its intended purpose is useful," Hermione said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they released particular information only to the licensed guilds that need it."  
  
"On the other hand," she continued, "some of this information is pretty – well, frightening, frankly. I was just reading about a potion that has a similar effect to the Dementor's Kiss – it destroys the soul of the recipient. Fortunately, it's an extremely complex potion, and has to be administered in very specific circumstances."  
  
Harry looked over at Ron, who seemed unusually interested in a particular book. "What did you find, Ron?"  
  
Ron looked up with a bit of an incredulous expression. "This book is... wow. It's a bit hard to follow, because the English is pretty old, but the first part of the book shows how to duel using single syllable spells. The next part tells how to do them while just speaking them in your head, not even out loud. It lists all sorts of stunners, shields, bludgeoners..."  
  
Hermione looked up. "I didn't think that was possible," she said.  
  
"Well, it looks complicated," Ron said. "All sorts of rubbish about mental states and precision wand control. It also says that it takes a lot of power to make them work."  
  
Harry walked up and looked over his shoulder at a hand-bound book with cracked leather. "We need to learn these," Harry said decisively. "This is exactly the sort of thing that can give us a huge advantage if we get into another scrape with some Death Eaters."  
  
Ron nodded. "All right, mate. Why don't I try and translate some of this? Maybe I can put together some study plans."  
  
Ron noticed Hermione giving him a rather proud look. "What?" Ron asked, embarrassed.  
  
"Oh, nothing, just – I've never seen you so interested in studying something," she replied.  
  
"Well, we all need to help out, right?" Ron mumbled. "I, er, might need your help with some of this. It looks like it's Middle English or something."  
  
"All right," she said, smiling at him.  
  
Harry sat back down with his own book. While he was sure that Voldemort probably knew much of what was contained here, a lot of the books looked very old and obscure. It was likely that his Death Eaters did not have access to as much information as they had here.  
  
Harry glanced over to his Pensieve. True to his word, Dumbledore taught Harry how to use it for faster recall of information. Harry had always had an average memory; nothing like Hermione's phenomenal memory, but the Pensieve seemed to make all the information much more orderly in his head. Harry planned on sharing the techniques with Ron and Hermione, but for now he wanted to experiment with it himself.  
  
He didn't want them to know yet, but he had also been trying some of the extremely powerful spells when he was in the secret library by himself. Many of the spells claimed to need a lot of power behind them, and he wanted to measure himself. Although he seemed able to get the spells to work, he hadn't really had enough practice to make them operate to their full potential and wasn't totally adept at them.  
  
Harry looked around the room. He had to admit that he had actually started to feel a tiny bit of confidence since they had started reading the restricted material. He finally felt like he was gaining a bit of an edge. He had to hope that it would all be enough when the inevitable conflict came.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry came down the dormitory stairs with his Firebolt over his shoulder, looking forward to practice finally starting. As expected, Ginny had easily made the team, along with the Beaters from last year, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper, and their veteran Chaser, Katie Bell. They had additionally found a very promising Chaser named Sam Peterson, a fourth year. All in all, he felt very good about the upcoming season.  
  
As he entered the room, Ginny was carrying her broom down the girl's dormitory stairs, looking excited as well.  
  
"Hi, Harry," she said brightly. "Can't wait for practice, can you?"  
  
Harry grinned at her. "You have no idea, especially after getting banned last year."  
  
"When did Ron leave?" she asked.  
  
Harry chuckled. "An hour ago. He said he wanted to get everything organized for our first practice."  
  
"You know, he scared me a bit at tryouts. I've never seen him so – er, loud," she said, giggling.  
  
"Yeah. You never saw Oliver Wood; he sounded a bit like that. But Ron won't let it go to his head like Oliver. He was just excited because it was his first day," Harry said, as they walked out the portrait hole.  
  
"Can't wait to try out the Lightning in a real practice, too," Ginny said, as she patted her new fiery-red broom appreciatively.  
  
"It's been working great. You were a terror at the tryouts; it was pretty impressive, actually," Harry said.  
  
"Well, I don't know about that," Ginny said modestly. "But it's certainly nice to play on a good broom."  
  
Ginny gave him an odd glance as they walked out of the castle into a cool, overcast day. It was to be a late afternoon practice, and storm clouds were starting to gather. Ron had been worried about their first practice getting rained on, but it looked like the storm wasn't to come in until later.  
  
"Of course, I wrote Fred and George and thanked them for the new broom. It was _awfully _nice of them, wasn't it?" she asked.  
  
Warning alarms started ringing in Harry's head. "Er, yes, it was. But you deserved it," Harry said, fighting to keep his voice level. Ginny was watching him carefully.  
  
Ginny smiled. "Did I? That's nice of you to say, Harry."  
  
"Well, you know, the old broom was... erm, having so much trouble... that... erm, Fred and George probably thought you needed a new one," Harry said awkwardly.  
  
"Yes, that's true... and it was good timing, especially since they hadn't really seen the broom up close the rest of last year, and they didn't play with us over the summer," Ginny said musingly.  
  
"Yeah, I guess they figured that the broom was getting old, and was, er, probably having problems..." Harry said, wishing he could think of something a bit less ridiculous to say.  
  
They stopped in front of the doors of the changing room. Ginny turned and faced Harry, giving him a very serious look.  
  
"I thanked them, of course, but what I didn't say was how much it meant to me," Ginny said, looking Harry straight in the eye.  
  
Harry said nothing; his voice seemed to have left him.  
  
"You know, even before I came to Hogwarts, I always wanted to do well on the Quidditch team, but never really had any confidence. I never told anyone, but, last year, it seemed like the expectations for the team were so low, that even if I didn't do well, no one would blame me. But this year, you're going to be back... and we won last year... and I was really afraid that the old broom wasn't going to cut it."  
  
"So... it was very... caring of them, and I appreciate it more than... they... can ever know," Ginny said, and then abruptly turned and entered the witches' changing room.  
  
Harry stood for a second, looking at the closed door, before he entered his own changing room and got dressed.  
  
* * *  
  
"Line up!" Ron shouted, as the team filed into the common part of the changing room and sat down in a line on the bench. Harry sat down at the end next to Ginny. Ron pulled out a stack of rather thick-looking books and handed them to Harry, who began passing them down the line one at a time.  
  
"These are our playbooks. I spent a lot of time putting together formations, as well as optimal strategies. I want everyone to study them, memorize them, _live them_... Every practice, we will drill them. I want this team to execute them perfectly without even needing to think," Ron barked.  
  
He began pacing back and forth, his hands behind his back. "Last year, we won the cup. But let's face it – it was close. TOO CLOSE!" he suddenly shouted, making everyone flinch. Harry and Ginny glanced at each other.  
  
"We have by far the best team at Hogwarts. If we play together, if we play as a team – if we play with _passion_," Ron said, his eyes growing wide as he clenched his fists out in front of him, "we can't lose."  
  
"Let me repeat that. Quidditch is about _passion. _It's about life. It's about giving everything you have, _and more, _and leaving it all on the field. It's about wanting the victory more than anything you've ever wanted in your life. When you're on the field, you have to embrace the beauty that is Quidditch... you have to be _one with the broomstick_. All that matters during the game is playing your position; being one part of a greater whole."  
  
Ron paused, his eyes blazing with a manic fury as he looked each player in the eye, walking down the line.  
  
His voice went to barely a whisper. "A greater whole. Not just the team – but the greater whole of the entire house of Gryffindor. We represent the pride of not only our fellow students, but every student, every team that has come before us. _We must not fail them_," Ron said, looking like he might break out in tears at any second.  
  
He suddenly shouted. "Who are we?"  
  
"Gryffindor!" Harry heard himself roar back along with the team; somehow caught up in the speech despite himself.  
  
"What?" Ron said, putting his hand to his ear.  
  
"Gryffindor!" they roared even louder.  
  
"I can't heeeeaaaarrrrr you!"  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the team screamed at him.  
  
"Are we going to win this year?" Ron screamed.  
  
"YES!" The team screamed back.  
  
"Will we conquer all comers?"  
  
"YES!"  
  
"Do you swear, on all that you hold dear, to devote yourself totally to the passion of Quidditch when you're on that field?"  
  
"YES!"  
  
"THEN GET THE BLOODY HELL ONTO THAT FIELD FOR PRACTICE!" Ron screamed, his voice cracking.  
  
Everyone leaped to their feet and almost trampled each other heading to the field.  
  
* * *  
  
It was several weeks later as Harry sat in the common room with Ron and Hermione doing some homework. Sighing, he put down his quill as he reflected on his first month.  
  
"Boy, this month seems to have flown by this year. I can't believe we're going to Hogsmeade already tomorrow," Harry said. "I've been so busy with Quidditch, the D.A., not to mention just the normal classes. I'm really looking forward to the break."  
  
Hermione suddenly looked a bit distressed. "Erm, Harry, about Hogsmeade tomorrow..."  
  
Ron looked up suspiciously.  
  
"What?" asked Harry.  
  
Hermione blushed. "Well, er, that is, Joseph asked if I would I go with him."  
  
"Oh," Harry said. He felt a bit of disappointment. Except for the time he and Ron had been fighting, he had always gone with both of them. Harry had been looking forward to just a normal, fun day.  
  
Ron looked petulant. "You're going with the Runt?" he asked incredulously.  
  
Hermione looked angry. "Just because he's a little, er, small doesn't mean you have to call him a runt! He's very nice, and he really likes studying with me. You know, you could be a little nicer, Ron Weasley!"  
  
"I'll just bet he likes 'studying,' " Ron grumbled. "Well, you know what I'm doing tomorrow? I'm _skipping _Hogsmeade. To study!"  
  
Hermione looked stunned. "You're going to skip Hogsmeade? To study?"  
  
"Yes!" Ron said, looking triumphant.  
  
"Are you feeling all right, Ron? You've been studying an awful lot lately... it's... er, not like you," she said, looking a bit worried.  
  
Ron looked wounded. "Just because I've been studying doesn't mean there's something wrong with me," he said.  
  
Hermione looked embarrassed. "Well, I didn't mean to imply that..."  
  
Harry sighed. "So I'm going by myself?"  
  
Hermione looked unhappy. "I could ask Joseph if it's okay if you come along..."  
  
"No!" Harry said quickly. He definitely didn't want to get in the middle of that business. "No, you two have fun."  
  
Ron shot Harry a look, as if he was unhappy that Harry decided not to tag along.  
  
Harry went back to his homework, but was finding it difficult to concentrate. He didn't want to go Hogsmeade by himself, but he really wanted to get away from Hogwarts. He spied Ginny across the room and wondered what her plans were.  
  
He got up from the table and casually walked over, feeling very nervous. Maybe he could find out if she already had plans without being too obvious about it.  
  
"Um, hi, Ginny," he said. "I was just wondering if, er, you had a quill I could borrow."  
  
"Hi, Harry," she said brightly. "Sure, I have one in my bag." She reached down, pulled up her bag, and started messily pushing items aside, looking for a quill. "Doesn't Hermione have any? I thought she always carried a pile of extras."  
  
_A very good question, _Harry thought, feeling stupid at the obvious ploy. She handed him the quill, and Harry decided to ignore her question, hoping it would just go away.  
  
"Thanks. So... looking forward to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" Harry said, trying to appear nonchalant.  
  
"Yeah. OWL studies have been a killer so far. I can really use the break," she said.  
  
"Yeah, me too. Are you going with... friends?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, a group of us are going," she said.  
  
Harry felt frustrated at the lack of specifics. He wondered if a boy was taking her along with her other friends. He suddenly felt shy about the whole thing. He didn't want to get turned down if she was already going with a boy.  
  
"Oh. Well have fun, then," Harry said.  
  
Ginny gave him a strange look, and appeared about to ask him something, but thought better of it. "All right, Harry. Maybe I'll see you all there tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah. See you," Harry said, walking off. He sat back down at the table, looking at the quill he had borrowed, feeling annoyed with himself. _Why didn't you just ask her? _he thought. Sighing, he went back to his work.  
  
* * *  
  
It was a pretty autumn day the next day as Harry set out alone to Hogsmeade, walking with the other students. He thought he saw some curious looks as he walked by himself, but he tried to ignore them. He really wanted to enjoy the day, and he was glad that the weather was nice.  
  
As he walked, he noticed Ginny up ahead with her group of friends, her fiery red hair unmistakable as it sparkled in the sunshine. He matched their pace as he followed at a safe distance. There seemed to be about five people in her group including herself; three girls and two boys. He couldn't tell if she was going with one of the boys or not.  
  
As they entered the village of Hogsmeade, Harry looked around, trying to decide where he wanted to go first. Just as he was deciding to pay a visit to Honeydukes, he heard a loud female voice call out to him.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
He turned around and noticed Parvati waving at him energetically. She was with Seamus, Dean, Lavender and another girl that Harry thought was a Hufflepuff. He saw her say something to the group and then ran over to Harry.  
  
"Hi, Harry. Are you here by yourself?" she asked, looking concerned.  
  
"Well, uh, sort of," he said, feeling a sinking sensation.  
  
"Can I join you?" she asked hopefully.  
  
Harry sighed. Feeling like it would be rude to give her a flat no, he said, "All right, then."  
  
Parvati looked delighted and gave him a huge smile. "Well, let's go! Where do you want to go first? I have an idea... I know a really fun place to go. Let's go to Madam Puddifoot's!" she said enthusiastically.  
  
"No!" Harry felt a feeling of horror, remembering the last time he'd been there with Cho. "I mean, no, why don't we go to Honeydukes? I was just on my way there, actually."  
  
"All right, Harry. Wherever you want to go," she said happily.  
  
As they walked together, Harry couldn't help but notice that she was looking very pretty, and was wearing the perfume she had been wearing the night of the D.A. meeting. He felt a bit flustered, remembering the temptation he'd felt that night.  
  
"Where are Hermione and Ron?" she asked.  
  
"Well, Hermione had a date, and Ron decided to study," he said.  
  
Her eyes widened as she looked at Harry. "Hermione has a _date? _Who?"  
  
"Er, Joseph something-or-other," Harry said.  
  
"I know him! I'd been kind of wondering; they seemed to have been studying together so much lately. Well, you know Hermione – she studies so much anyway, but I didn't think she was actually _going out _withhim, but he seems very nice, so I suppose it's not surprising that they might go out. It's funny that Ron decided to stay behind and study; he's never seemed like the studying type, but supposedly he did well on his OWLs last year, so I suppose anything is possible," Parvati said, without seeming to need to take a breath.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, not sure what to say to the parade of subjects she had just covered.  
  
They walked into Honeydukes and Harry once again marveled at the wide array of sweets available at the shop. It certainly had to be the most colorful shop in Hogsmeade. He walked up to the counter and began listing an assortment of items to the shopkeeper. He made sure he selected some of Ron's favorites, as he felt bad about Ron staying behind, so thought some sweets might cheer him up.  
  
"Oooh! I love these," Parvati said, as she pointed to a bin full of something called Grasshopper Gummies. As he looked into the bin, he could see them jumping around, seeming to try and escape.  
  
"Are they good?" Harry said uncertainly.  
  
"Oh, they're the best! You should try them," Parvati said.  
  
Harry shrugged, deciding to go with the flow. He asked the man to add a bag full of the treat. The man carefully opened the bin, covering the opening with his hand. He held up the bag and let them jump in rather than trying to use his normal scoop.  
  
He put the bag next to Harry's other bags. The bag jumped around on the table as Harry pulled out some money and paid the man.  
  
They walked out of the shop, and Harry offered the bag to Parvati. "Thank you for buying me some, Harry," she said, smiling coyly at him.  
  
Harry groaned to himself. He should have known it would be seen by her as buying a gift. No matter what he did, somehow it seemed to be interpreted as encouraging her. He needed to be more careful.  
  
She offered him one of the Grasshopper Gummies. "Thanks," he said, popping it into his mouth. It jumped around violently and then exploded with a loud 'pop' sound. Harry was shocked for a split second, but then a sweet flavor covered the inside of his mouth with a delicious, silky texture. He had to admit, he really liked them.  
  
"Wow, that _is_ good," he said appreciatively.  
  
Parvati beamed like Harry had just pronounced her the most beautiful girl on Earth. "I knew you would like them," she said.  
  
They continued walking down the street, eating the gummies. Harry was just starting to relax a bit when he felt Parvati reach over and take his hand. He glanced over, and she was looking straight ahead, appearing a little fearful.  
  
Harry felt a panic come over him. He didn't want to lead her on, but he also didn't want to hurt her feelings. His confusion rose, as part of him had to admit that it was rather nice holding her hand.  
  
_Stop! None of that! _he thought desperately. He had to figure a way out of it. He looked around the street desperately, hoping something would come to mind. He spotted the Three Broomsticks not far away, giving him a possible solution.  
  
"Erm, do you want to get a Butterbeer?" Harry asked nervously.  
  
"All right. That sounds nice, Harry," she said, giving him another smile.  
  
They walked up to the door, giving Harry an excuse to let go of her hand. She waited, looking at him.  
  
"Oh," Harry said, dawning on him what she was waiting for. He opened the door for her, letting her through.  
  
She waited for him to lead the way to a table. Deciding on a table toward the back where he couldn't be seen from the front windows, Harry led Parvati to a table and they sat down, with Harry facing the room.  
  
"Uh, I'll go get us a couple of Butterbeers, all right?" Harry said.  
  
"That would be wonderful, Harry."  
  
Harry briefly thought about asking her for some money for her Butterbeer to make the whole event less of a date, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. She was looking at him so happily that he knew it would hurt her feelings. He wandered up toward the bar where Madam Rosmerta was serving drinks.  
  
"Hello, Harry," said Madam Rosmerta, who was looking like her typical busty self.  
  
Harry always felt a little shy around her. "Um, hi," he said. "Two Butterbeers, please."  
  
As she pulled out two bottles, she peered towards Harry's table. "I see you have quite the pretty girl with you today," she said, winking at him.  
  
Harry blushed. "Well, she's just a friend," he said.  
  
"If you say so, Harry," she said, giving him an indulgent smile. "Well, here you go." Harry gave her some money, feeling a bit annoyed.  
  
Just as he turned around to walk back, he heard a familiar laugh, drawing his eyes toward a table across the room. Ginny was sitting at a table with her friends. Harry continued walking to his table, hoping that Ginny wouldn't see him over there. He put the Butterbeers down on the table.  
  
"Thank you, Harry," said Parvati with a warm smile.  
  
Harry smiled back weakly as he took a drink from his bottle. He had a good view of Ginny from where he was sitting. She was sitting next to one of the boys, but Harry couldn't tell if they were sitting together or not.  
  
"Oh, look," Parvati said in a low voice. "Hannah Abbot is here with Jack Sarnock. She's liked him for ages, but he never gave her the time of day. Looks like he finally asked her out. Lavender told me that his best friend John said that he was thinking about it, but I didn't think he'd really go _through _with it. He's kind of shy, you know? But I'm glad for Hannah. He better treat her well, though. Her brother is a seventh year and you should see the looks he gives the blokes that she goes out with. He'll hex him into next week if they do anything funny. Sometimes I wish I had a brother like that, but I suppose the boys I go out with don't, do they?" She giggled. "But I love having a twin sister, even though she ended up a Ravenclaw. But she was always more academic than I was."  
  
Harry nodded through her monologue, giving an occasional "hmm" or "really?" which seemed to be all that Parvati required to keep the conversation going. He found his mind wandering while she chatted away about various subjects.  
  
He looked over at Ginny. She was grinning as she talked with her friends. She gave a laughing smile to one of the boys at the table, causing Harry to feel a little annoyed as he wondered what he'd said to her. He wished he had just asked her to go with him back in the common room; maybe she would have turned him down, but at least there was a chance he could have been sitting with her instead of...  
  
"What do you think, Harry?" Parvati said brightly.  
  
"Pardon?" said Harry.  
  
"I asked if you thought Cho was feeling better?" Parvati said. She didn't seem to notice that Harry hadn't been paying attention.  
  
"Well, I talked to her at the first D.A. meeting, and I've sort of seen her around," he said. In fact, it occurred to Harry that he'd seen Cho around quite a bit. He hadn't really thought about it before, but it seemed like he ran into her a fair amount. It wasn't anything overt... between classes, during meals...  
  
"Um," Harry said, realizing that Parvati was still looking at him. "She does seem to be feeling a lot better."  
  
"I'm sorry it didn't work out between you two," Parvati said sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said. "I guess it goes that way sometimes."  
  
Parvati nodded. "Yes! I was just telling Lavender that when I went out with Jeremy Johnson, I always had fun but he just wasn't right for me. He was a Hufflepuff, and was very nice, but I like a bloke that's a bit more... adventurous." she said, looking straight at Harry, giving him a flirtatious smile and touching his hand. Harry felt a nervous chill go down his spine.  
  
Parvati continued chatting as Harry looked around the room, giving an occasional word here and there when it seemed to be needed. He found himself very distracted, however, as Parvati seemed to punctuate her points with touching his hand or his arm.  
  
Harry suddenly felt some eyes on him. He looked up and noticed that Ginny and her friends had risen from their table. She was looking at him, her eyes moving back and forth between Parvati and himself. He smiled weakly and gave her a little wave. Her lips formed an almost McGonagall-like thin line as she nodded her head at him, and then turned abruptly and followed her friends out of the Three Broomsticks.  
  
_She seemed annoyed about something, _Harry thought. He wondered if she'd had some sort of problem with her friends at the table.  
  
"Do you want to look around Hogsmeade some more?" Parvati asked, their Butterbeers finished.  
  
"All right," Harry said.  
  
They both got up from the table and walked out of The Three Broomsticks into the cool autumn air. Some clouds had begun to form, as if a storm might be coming in overnight. They spent the rest of the day looking through curio shops, stopping at Zonkos and snacking at the various food carts that roamed the streets.  
  
They were coming out of a particular curio shop at the end of the village when Harry spotted Ginny up ahead with her group of friends. He really didn't want to see her again while he was with Parvati, so he headed in the other direction.  
  
"Come on, let's go this way," he said, gesturing in the direction of the lake.  
  
Parvati's eyes widened. "Oh! _That _way? All right, Harry," she said, giving him a sly smile. Harry felt confused at her reaction.  
  
Harry looked up ahead and couldn't see anything unusual. They were heading toward the lake, but there was a rather dense forest of bushes along the bank.  
  
As he approached the bushes, Harry noticed a mischievous looking couple ducking behind some of the brush. Suddenly it hit him where he was leading Parvati – he suspected that this was a place for couples to find private snogging spots. _Oh no, _he thought, panicking.  
  
Parvati grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bushes where no one could see them. Harry felt extremely nervous, and couldn't help but notice again how pretty she looked today. Parvati took a step toward him. She reached up and took a lock of her long hair in her hand, twirling it between her fingers.  
  
"I'm so glad we met up today, Harry," she said slowly. She took another step forward.  
  
"Um, yeah..." Harry said nervously.  
  
"You know, Harry," she said, gazing up at him, "you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."  
  
"Uh, thanks..." Harry said, barely able to speak. Parvati was looking very, very pretty... she was standing very close...  
  
Suddenly she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, kissing him aggressively.  
  
"Mmmph!" Harry said, his eyes wide in shock.  
  
"Mmmrrowrr," Parvati responded, making a low growling sound.  
  
Some part of Harry was telling himself that he needed to bring things under control, but another part was surging strongly. He rationalized that it might not hurt to kiss her for a few minutes as he put his arms around her...  
  
"Great Merlin! It's bloody Snape!" someone yelled.  
  
Harry immediately released her and backed away. Just hearing the name threw ice water on any surging feelings that he might have been experiencing. Harry noticed that a lot of couples appeared around him, looking nonchalant as they walked toward the lake.  
  
Parvati looked at him with a frustrated expression as they walked to the lake as well. Harry saw Snape looking suspiciously at various students, but it appeared that he didn't catch anyone. For once in his life, Harry was happy to see Snape. If things had gone much farther, he wasn't sure how he would have handled things after this day.  
  
They spent some more time sitting by the lake chatting; Parvati doing most of the talking. Harry gazed out over the lake, half listening to her talk about the various couples sitting around them.  
  
"Well, we'd best be heading back, I guess," Harry said, noticing the sun getting low in the sky.  
  
"I guess you're right," she said, looking a bit disappointed.  
  
Harry got up, and Parvati held her hand up to him. Harry took her hand and pulled her up to her feet.  
  
"Thank you, sir," she said, smiling at him.  
  
As they started walking back to Hogwarts, Parvati reached over and took Harry's hand again. Harry sighed silently, letting her hold his hand. Looking forward, he saw Ginny far up ahead, and he was grateful she couldn't see him.  
  
They finally reached Hogwarts, giving Harry an excuse to release her hand as they climbed the steps.  
  
"I had a lot of fun today, Harry," Parvati said, stopping outside the doors, and walking a bit to the side, away from direct view. Harry followed her, wondering where she was going.  
  
"Um, yeah, I had fun, too," Harry said politely.  
  
Parvati beamed at him. "I'm so glad you had fun, Harry! I'm really glad we met up," she said, looking up at him, her dark eyes looking rather pretty. She took a step forward toward him.  
  
Temptation surged up him, as Harry suspected what she had in mind. He backed away slightly, barely maintaining control over himself.  
  
"Um, well, we better get in," Harry said, trying not to look at her too closely. He reluctantly began backing away toward the doors.  
  
"All right, Harry," she said, looking slightly disappointed, but still smiled at him. "I guess you're hungry, aren't you? You've been working so hard in Quidditch practice."  
  
"Yeah, that's right – hungry," Harry said, glad that she had given him an excuse.  
  
They entered the doors, Harry feeling a bit of relief that the day was over, although he had to admit that it hadn't been horrible spending the day with Parvati. It had actually been rather relaxing, since she didn't require him to talk all that much.  
  
They walked into the Great Hall, just beginning to serve up the evening meal. Harry sighed as Parvati stuck close to him. He had thought his time with her was done, but apparently not.  
  
Looking around the room, he saw Hermione looking shy as she sat with Joseph at the Ravenclaw table. Harry blinked; he'd never seen her sit anywhere but at the Gryffindor table. He searched for Ron, but he was apparently still studying. Harry suspected that he might be avoiding Hermione.  
  
He sighed again as he sat down at the Gryffindor table, Parvati sitting next to him. Listening with half an ear to Parvati's chatting, he saw Ginny down the table laughing animatedly with her friends, and he wished once again that he was sitting with her instead.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: All right, I know we've had a lot of Parvati the last couple chapters, but I promise to make it up to you H/G fans next chapter. It's fluffy. Really fluffy. And angsty. Thanks again to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._  



	15. Chapter 14 A Visit to the Kitchens

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 14: A Visit to the Kitchens_

  
  
_A/N: All right. This chapter is rated F for extreme Fluff. Don't say I didn't warn you. :)_  
  
_Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
As the end of October approached, Harry was feeling good about the way the year was going. His classroom studies were going well, the D.A. meetings had been growing more and more in popularity as word spread, and his studies in the secret library had been paying some dividends. Even the letters had started to die down, as people inevitably forgot about Rita Skeeter's article.  
  
Quidditch practice had been going particularly well, Harry reflected, as he sat at a table in the common room doing homework with Ron and Hermione. Having Ron as Quidditch captain had shown Harry a side of him he'd never seen before; Ron was quite good at strategizing and leading. Harry supposed that it made sense, considering Ron's chess skills, but he had to give him credit for inspiring the players to practice hard while they were on the field.  
  
_Ginny in particular has been playing fantastically_, he thought, feeling a bit proud of her. Since Ron was usually at practice early and stayed late, Harry and Ginny had taken to walking each other to and from practice. He really enjoyed their walks together. They didn't get much time to talk at the D.A. meetings, and since it was her OWL year, she had been studying very hard recently.  
  
Most of Harry's problems these days revolved around trying to avoid Parvati, who had been attempting to find ways to be alone with him. She waited after every D.A. meeting, but true to his word, Ron never left him alone. The lack of attention didn't seem to discourage her; if anything, it only seemed to make her try harder. She had roped him into studying with her a couple of times, but he always made sure they studied safely among lots of people.  
  
Sometimes he felt quite a bit of temptation and wondered if it might not be so bad spending a bit of time alone with Parvati... but then somehow he would imagine the next day and wonder what he would say to her. Inevitably, she would expect him to have feelings for her, and he just didn't. It seemed like it wouldn't be right to lead her on like that.  
  
"Hermione, what do you think of this?" Ron asked proudly, interrupting Harry's thoughts.  
  
He handed her his essay, and Hermione spent a few minutes reading it over, making only a couple of small corrections. "This is good, Ron!" she said. "Really, you did a wonderful job."  
  
Harry could see Ron's ears heating up from the praise as he took the parchment back from her. Harry didn't want to make a big deal about it, since Ron seemed a bit sensitive about the subject, but Ron's grades this year had shown a dramatic improvement since last year. Clearly all the extra studying was paying off, but Harry wondered exactly what had possessed him.  
  
As Harry went back to his own work, he realized he had forgotten to visit the library to get some information he needed. He looked at the clock on the wall. He had just enough time to go, but it was getting late.  
  
"I need to run to the library," Harry said to Ron and Hermione.  
  
Hermione looked at the clock on the wall and gave him a warning look about the amount of time to curfew.  
  
"I know," Harry said. "I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
He got up from the table and headed out to the library; the corridors rather dim this time of night as he finally reached the front doors. He entered the library and noticed Ginny busily working at a table.  
  
"Hi, Ginny. You're working late," he said, sitting down at her table.  
  
Ginny looked up tiredly. "Been incredibly busy with OWL studies. I'm working on Defense tonight. I'm not sure what's got into Snape; he's been really cracking the whip, on top of everything else."  
  
Harry frowned. "Knowing Snape, he probably wants his OWL scores to be higher than every previous instructor, to prove he deserves the job or something."  
  
"Yeah, probably," Ginny said, nodding. "Say, speaking of Snape, how's it going between you and him? I, er, heard about those first two classes," she said, biting her lip.  
  
Harry sighed. "Well, no more broken bones so far, although the spells we've been practicing lately haven't been as – violent."  
  
Ginny snickered and then spoke in a low voice. "Well, I shouldn't say this, but I'm glad you finally paid some of his treatment back."  
  
"Really?" Harry asked. He'd been getting almost continuous disapproving looks from Hermione. Although they hadn't been as directly confrontational as in the first two days, Snape went out of his way to challenge him, and Harry couldn't help but give back as much as he was taking.  
  
"Definitely. He might be a teacher, but that doesn't mean he should abuse the students like he does," Ginny said, her jaw firmly set. "You may not know this, but I'm not his favorite student, either.  
  
"It's a tradition with him to hate Weasleys. He particularly hated Fred and George, primarily because they could seem to goof off so much, yet somehow score good marks. Fred and George are a lot smarter than people gave them credit for, when they care enough to work hard. I think they tried hard with Snape because it seemed to irritate him so much. Whenever Snape would start getting too out of line, Fred and George would play some sort of prank on him, but Snape could never catch them in the act. Snape actually backed off a bit. I think Fred and George are probably the only students he ever feared," she said, giggling.  
  
"Well, I should say that he didn't hate every Weasley. Supposedly he liked Percy," she said, rolling her eyes. "I suppose that's not too surprising, since Percy sucked up to the teachers so much. I don't think Ron gets it as much, either, probably because you occupy so much of his attention."  
  
"What does he do to you?" Harry said, curious about someone else's experience with Snape abuse.  
  
"Oh, the usual," Ginny said. She curled her lip in a perfect imitation of Snape, causing Harry to laugh loudly. Ginny grinned.  
  
"One time he even intentionally knocked my potion to the floor, and looked at me while doing it," Ginny said, appearing to be still angry about it. "Fortunately I still had enough left in my cauldron."  
  
"He did that to me, too," Harry said.  
  
"I figure I'm paying a bit for Fred and George," said Ginny. "Since he could never get them, then he takes it out on me. But it's worth it. Snape deserved what he got from Fred and George. I could probably do with giving him a bit less attitude in class, too, to be honest, but I hate the man."  
  
"Well, it probably doesn't help either that you're friends with me," said Harry.  
  
"Um, yeah, maybe," Ginny said, looking a little guarded.  
  
"You know, come to think of it, I don't remember seeing you at dinner. Did you eat at all?" Harry asked.  
  
"No, I haven't. I'm starving, actually," Ginny said. "I was thinking of sneaking down to the kitchens, but it's getting awfully late."  
  
"How do you sneak down there without... being seen?" Harry asked.  
  
Ginny laughed. "I have my ways."  
  
Harry looked at her appraisingly and said, "I'll bet you do." He paused, and decided to let her in on one of his secrets. "But I think I have a better way."  
  
Ginny looked at him curiously. "What's that?"  
  
"Wait here. I'll be back in a few minutes," Harry said.  
  
He ran back to Gryffindor Tower. It was getting very late; if they were going to do it, they needed to hurry. He saw Ron and Hermione busily working at the table; he decided to sneak up to his room without telling them. He didn't want a lecture from Hermione about being out after curfew. Walking into his dormitory, he opened his trunk and pulled out his invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map. Harry slipped the cloak over his head and headed down the stairs, feeling mischievous. He had to admit that a little rule breaking felt good.  
  
He sneaked past Ron and Hermione, chortling a bit as he quietly opened up the portrait hole. The Fat Lady looked confused as he gently closed the picture.  
  
Harry walked down to the library and eased open the door, still wearing the cloak. He crept up to Ginny, who had gone back to work on her essay. He was about to speak to her, but stopped, just looking at her. Harry had never had an opportunity to really look at her like this before.  
  
She was the same as always, yet different somehow. She was certainly not the little girl who had squeaked when he came to the Burrow the first time. He moved around in front of her, looking closely. Her pretty red hair was tucked behind her ear as she concentrated on her work. He noticed she had a little sprinkling of freckles across her nose.  
  
She abruptly looked up, causing Harry's stomach to flutter a bit. She gazed off into space, pursing her lips as she seemed to think about something. Harry was very close to her, and he looked into her chocolate brown eyes. He thought her eyes were his favorite feature. They always seemed so bright and lively, like she was hiding a secret and wanted you to guess it.  
  
Harry smiled, feeling good just being with her. Feeling a bit mischievous, he silently moved next to her. He reached over through the cloak and tickled her ear. Her head twitched, and she swatted at the air like she was trying to brush away a fly, barely missing Harry's hand. Harry put his hand over his mouth, desperately trying to keep from laughing.  
  
She went back to her work, and Harry sneaked up closer again. He reached over and tickled her nose, pulling his hand back quickly lest she try and swat him again. This time, she just wrinkled her nose and reached up and rubbed it.  
  
_One more time, _he thought, still trying to suppress his laughter. He crept up behind her, and blew a cool breath on her neck through the cloak. She suddenly shivered and rubbed her arms as if she was trying to warm up. She frowned at Madam Pince, apparently wondering why the library was kept so cold.  
  
He had a sudden urge to touch her hair, but thought that might be pushing his luck. He spent another minute quietly watching her as she worked, and then decided they better get moving.  
  
"Psssst!" Harry said, making a low hissing sound.  
  
Ginny looked up again and around. "Harry?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Ginny, I'm here..." Harry said, grinning.  
  
"Where?" she said, trying to look casual as she looked around, a small smile on her face.  
  
Harry picked up a quill through the cloak and waved it in front of her. Ginny eyes grew wide as she seemed to see a quill levitating before her.  
  
"Harry, how are you doing that? Where are you?" Ginny said, peeking under the table.  
  
He walked up next to her and whispered in her ear. "Maybe the library is _haunted,_" he said, laughing quietly. She quickly reached toward her ear and caught him this time. She stopped, feeling him next to her through the cloak. Suddenly her face took on a look of shock.  
  
"No! You have an _invisibility cloak?_" she asked incredulously.  
  
Harry laughed quietly. "That's not all... You'll see," he said.  
  
"Well, Mr. Potter, I have to say that this explains a lot about how you're able to cause so much trouble," she said, looking through him with a playful look. She was running her hand over him, figuring out where he was, causing Harry to blush a bit.  
  
"Erm, go ahead and start putting your books away like you're going to leave," he said. "Meet me outside the doors."  
  
"All right." Ginny started putting her essay and books into her bag. She got up, yawned as if she was heading to bed, and walked toward the front doors. Madam Pince appeared to barely notice her leave.  
  
Harry followed her through the doors, stopping next to her when Ginny stood outside the doors.  
  
"Ready?" Harry whispered, looking around to see if no one was watching.  
  
"Yes!" Ginny said, sounding excited.  
  
Harry lifted an edge of the cloak. "Here I am!" Harry said, grinning. Ginny grinned back as he slipped the cloak over her head.  
  
Ginny looked around. "We're invisible now? This is bloody brilliant," she said.  
  
"It gets better," Harry said, feeling excited about sharing a secret with her. "Come on, let me show you. Let's get away from the library a bit."  
  
They quietly moved down the corridor, Ginny following closely behind Harry. They came to a quiet part of corridor, and Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map.  
  
"What's that?" asked Ginny curiously.  
  
"Watch," Harry said. He pulled out his wand, tapped the map, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."  
  
The map suddenly came to life, showing the layout of Hogwarts.  
  
"Great Merlin! I remember this; your father had it when we were looking at Professor Lupin's memory!" said Ginny.  
  
"Yes, my father, Sirius, Remus and Pettigrew created the map. It's kind of funny, actually; Fred and George stole it from Filch's office, and then they gave it to me. They didn't even know it had belonged to my father," Harry said.  
  
"Let me see!" Ginny said, taking the map from Harry. She looked wide-eyed at the map, watching various people moving about the castle. "Wow... there's no way we can get caught between the map and the cloak."  
  
"Harry! Holding out on me, when you have things like this!" she said in mock anger, hands on hips.  
  
Harry grinned, looking embarrassed. "Well, it's a bit hard to bring up in everyday conversation."  
  
Ginny laughed. "I'm just teasing. Come on, let's go down to the kitchens, or my stomach growls will give us away."  
  
Harry grinned and took the map back from her. As they walked, her hands lightly touched his shoulders, trying to maintain a constant distance. Harry found the touch very distracting. Every so often he would stop and check the map as they made their way down to the kitchens.  
  
As they entered the main corridor lined with bright pictures of food, Harry took one last look at the map and noticed it was clear.  
  
"We should be safe now," he said, taking off the cloak.  
  
Harry went up to a picture of a gigantic fruit bowl and tickled a green pair. It turned into a green door handle, and Harry pushed open the door entering the kitchen, Ginny following close behind.  
  
Suddenly a house-elf came streaking toward him and gave him a bone-crushing hug. "Harry Potter, sir!"  
  
"Hello, Dobby," Harry said, smiling painfully as he patted Dobby on the back. He looked over at Ginny, who was grinning at him.  
  
Dobby finally released him. "Dobby is so happy to see Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley!" he said, smiling happily between the two of them.  
  
"Hi, Dobby," Ginny said.  
  
"Do you know each other?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes, we've got to know each other quite well, haven't we, Dobby?" replied Ginny.  
  
Dobby beamed. "Yes! Of course, any friend of Harry Potter is a special friend of mine!" he said to Harry. "I noticed that Ginny Weasley didn't eat during dinner. We will fix something right up. Wait here!"  
  
Dobby ran to a group of house-elves, gesturing animatedly as he talked to them about something. They nodded excitedly and ran off as Dobby came back to Harry and Ginny.  
  
"Come on!" Dobby said enthusiastically, grabbing both of their arms and pulling them along.  
  
Leading them past dozens of bowing and curtsying house-elves, they entered a small room with a few tables. A team of house-elves was busily scrubbing down one of the small tables. They dried it off and then put down a fancy white linen tablecloth, with elaborately stitched designs along the edge. An elf put an elegant porcelain vase with a single red rose in the middle of the table, along with two long candles in elaborate silver holders, and another elf brought in two beautiful silver plates, complete with a full set of silver tableware.  
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance at each other as Dobby looked proudly at the setting. The house-elves had set a rather romantic table.  
  
"Erm, Dobby, you didn't need to go to this much trouble..." Harry said.  
  
"No trouble at all! Nothing is too good for Harry Potter and Harry Potter's special lady!" Dobby said.  
  
Harry felt himself blushing to the roots of his hair, and, glancing at Ginny, he saw she was having about the same reaction.  
  
Harry was at a total loss for words as Dobby nudged them over to the table. Looking helplessly at Ginny, Harry sat down with her at the table, both looking awkward.  
  
A house-elf came up with a tray, loaded with two Butterbeers and two fine crystal goblets. He placed the glasses on the table in front of Harry and Ginny and then expertly poured the Butterbeer with a flourish.  
  
Dobby looked approvingly at the two of them. "We will have your dinner ready for you soon," he said, as he backed out of the room.  
  
Harry and Ginny looked again at each other, and then both started laughing at the absurdity of the situation.  
  
Ginny gave him a teasing look. "You know, Harry, the service down here is always good, but it's never been quite this good. You really know how to show a girl a fine time," she said.  
  
Harry felt himself blushing again, but laughed. "Well, I suppose we should toast to your OWLs?" he said, picking up his glass.  
  
Ginny smiled as she picked up her own glass. "And perhaps a toast to your returning to your rightful place as Seeker on the Quidditch team."  
  
They clinked glasses, the fine crystal making a pleasant sound, and took a long drink.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry leaned back in his chair, feeling full from his second dinner of the evening. He was glad that he had eaten only lightly in the Great Hall that night, because Dobby had brought an amazing variety of food for them. They had been chatting during their late night meal about school, Quidditch and various other subjects.  
  
Dobby came in carrying a tray loaded with a covered silver pot, a plate of various thin, crispy biscuits, and a bowl of strawberries. He placed it on the table as Harry peered at it curiously.  
  
"Dessert, Harry Potter, sir! It is one of Dobby's specialties... Chocolate Fondue," he said, lifting the lid off the pot. Harry saw a sort of chocolate sauce in the pot as a wonderful aroma wafted over the table.  
  
"Wow, Dobby, this is too much," Harry said, looking at Ginny. "You don't have to do all this."  
  
Dobby pretended not to hear him as he bowed to the two of them and left the room.  
  
"It smells good," Harry said. "I've never tried this before. How do we eat it?"  
  
Ginny smiled at Harry as she picked up a strawberry. She dipped it into the chocolate, and slowly put it into her mouth, still looking at Harry. For some reason, he felt himself growing very flustered watching her eat the dessert.  
  
"Mmmmm," she said, closing her eyes. "Wow, that's tasty."  
  
She opened her eyes and looked playfully at Harry with a very sly smile. A little chill went down his spine as she looked him in the eye while slowly picking up another strawberry. She dipped it into the chocolate, and reached toward Harry, holding it before his mouth.  
  
Harry found his breathing growing labored as he opened his mouth. Ginny popped it in his mouth, giggling a bit. The chocolate mixing with the sweet strawberry was wonderful. He had to agree with her; it was amazingly good.  
  
Ginny looked at him with a small smile. Harry, feeling a bit bold, picked up a strawberry, dipped it in the chocolate and held it out to her. She opened her mouth as well, and Harry carefully placed it in, accidentally getting a little chocolate on the side of her mouth. She licked it off, giving him another giggle.  
  
They spent a few quiet minutes eating the dessert, playing a little game of feeding each other. Finally, when it was all gone, Harry looked over at Ginny, feeling satisfied and very warm from the Butterbeers, food and dessert.  
  
She looked back at him and smiled. "You know, Harry, you should know that everyone is very impressed with your D.A. meetings," she said.  
  
Harry tried to look modest, but felt very pleased by her praise. "Well, that's good to know. People seem to be doing well, but it's hard to know if they like the job I'm doing."  
  
"I think it helps people a lot to practice defense like this; everyone is so afraid of You-Know-Who attacking," Ginny said.  
  
Harry nodded. "I know. It helps me a lot, too. When I was alone over the summer at the Dursleys', the only thing that kept me sane was studying defense, so that I would be ready." His face grew hard for a split second and then relaxed again as he looked away. "I hate the thought of being controlled by him."  
  
Ginny hesitated. "I'm not prying or anything, Harry, so don't feel like you need to answer if you don't want to, but... have you been feeling him? In your scar?"  
  
Harry felt guarded, but whether it was the Butterbeers or the meal, he wasn't sure, but he actually felt like talking about it a little.  
  
"No," he answered truthfully. "I haven't felt any pain in my scar since the Ministry battle. I guess that means he's laying low, but I'm not sure. For all I know, he may be able to hide himself better from me."  
  
"What does he... feel like?" Ginny asked, very tentatively.  
  
Harry looked at her carefully. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that she had her own reasons for wanting to know.  
  
"He feels..." he paused. "It's hard to find the right words. Angry. Resentful. Hateful. All those things, but other... odd... things, too. Like his emotions aren't quite human anymore." Harry shivered a bit.  
  
Harry looked over at Ginny, her mind and thoughts seeming to be far away. He had a sudden thought, but wasn't sure he should ask.  
  
"Um, Ginny?" he asked.  
  
"Hm?" She said.  
  
"Can I ask... I mean, I know it's probably hard, but... erm," he started awkwardly.  
  
Ginny looked at him seriously. "You want to know what he was like in the diary?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
Ginny took a deep breath. "He was... different, I think, from what he is now. The diary was created when he was sixteen years old. All the... foundations... were there, but he was still... human.  
  
"I know that it was stupid to fall for him, but he was so... well, nice at first. You know how it is in your first year. You're alone, and trying to meet friends..." she paused.  
  
Harry nodded. "I remember. I'm so glad I met Ron that first day."  
  
She nodded. "Yes. I mean, I had a few friends that I knew from Ottery St. Catchpole, but it was still so far away from home. Anyway, at first it was very innocent. He would ask about my classes, and about my friends, and I would tell him. I think he was very weak at that point."  
  
"When did he start to... change?" Harry asked.  
  
"You know, I think it was when I came back to the dormitory one night, and had just had a row with a friend over something stupid; I don't even remember what it was," Ginny said. "But I wrote this long rant in the diary, and he was unusually interested. Just kept asking how I felt about it... I think it was the negative emotions that fed him. And then he asked a very odd question..." Ginny paused, looking far away.  
  
"Are you all right to talk about this?" Harry asked, concerned.  
  
Ginny smiled at him. "Sorry. No, I'm all right. You _should _know all this. It might give you some insight into him.  
  
"Anyway, he asked if I was going to take revenge on my friend. The way he talked about it was very creepy, like he wanted to know if I wanted to _hurt _her, you know? That was when I should have got rid of the diary, but he had been so kind before that. And then he was back to normal the next day.  
  
"That was the beginning, though. Looking back on it now, I can see what he was doing, but at the time it was very subtle. He started asking much more leading questions, how I felt about things and other people."  
  
Ginny blushed a little. "And I, er, mentioned you at one point, and how you had defeated You-Know-Who as an infant."  
  
Harry felt a bit embarrassed, but tried to smile encouragingly at her. Given her crush at that time and what Tom had told him in the Chamber of Secrets, he suspected he knew some of what she may have written.  
  
"He got very odd, but I think he had started to possess me to a small degree. He couldn't control me, but he could influence me. I told him everything I knew about the first war. I even looked up a lot of stuff in the library for him," she said, looking disgusted with herself.  
  
"But here's the thing that was strangest of all..." Ginny said. "He asked a lot of questions about your family; who your parents were, who raised you, that sort of thing. Just endless questions, and he got very frustrated when I couldn't answer very many of them."  
  
"He was always interested in people's families," she continued musingly. "When you published that article about what happened after the Triwizard Tournament, and you said he had been an orphan, suddenly a lot of things made sense. He would make little remarks; like if I complained about Mum, he would say something like, 'that's typical of mothers. They say they love you, but if they did, they wouldn't act like that.'  
  
"Harry, I think that Tom at sixteen was still caught between being Tom and being Voldemort. I think he was letting me see some of the pain that had made him what he was. It's too simplistic to say that it's completely because of his upbringing that did it, but I think that's one of the keys to understanding him," Ginny said.  
  
There was a long silence as they let the thoughts sink in.  
  
Finally Harry said, "Thank you, Ginny, for... telling me all that. It must be hard for you."  
  
Ginny smiled wanly. "To tell you the truth, it kind of feels good to talk about it. Erm, I've never told anyone any of this before," she said, looking away shyly. "But I guess if anyone understands fighting him, it's you."  
  
Harry smiled. "Funny, I had the same thought about you last summer."  
  
Ginny looked shocked and embarrassed. "Please, Harry, don't tease me like that. I never did anything like what you've done."  
  
"Well, maybe not _like_ what I've done, but you fought a different sort of battle. And you know what? You probably know more about him than anyone," Harry said.  
  
"Well, I wish I didn't, to be honest. I tell myself I'm over it, but sometimes... well, you heard my nightmare over the summer," she said.  
  
"Yeah. And you heard mine, too," Harry said. He paused for a long time, and then said in a barely audible voice, "Sometimes I wish I didn't have to do any of this, too."  
  
Ginny looked at him incredulously. "Great Merlin, Harry, who _would _want to have all this hanging over their head? Do you really think you need to feel guilty over not wanting the responsibility?"  
  
Harry looked guilty. "But I _do _have the responsibility, Ginny. I'm supposed to be 'the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord.' Shouldn't I be able to accept it? Shouldn't I _want _to end this for everyone?"  
  
Ginny looked at him compassionately. "You know, Harry, you're allowed to have dreams and hopes of your own."  
  
Harry flinched and looked at her. He hadn't thought about it that way before, but Ginny had struck to the heart of his frustration. "Sometimes I don't... feel... like I'm allowed to have those. I mean, I know I want to be an Auror... but... does the future really matter when..."  
  
Ginny looked at him with a firm expression. She reached out and gripped his hand tightly. "Harry, you _do _have a future. When – _when – _this is all over, you'll have a life of your own. You need to _know _that... It's not enough for you to fulfill the prophecy for everyone else. You need to fulfill it for _yourself_... you need to be a bit selfish about all this. You need to have something to live for. You've hardly had a chance to live since you got out of the Dursleys' house."  
  
Harry nodded, feeling the warmth of her hand on his. They sat in companionable silence for several minutes, until Harry had a sudden thought.  
  
"What time is it?" Harry asked. They had been talking for hours.  
  
Ginny looked shocked. "Oh, damn! We better get going. I'm glad you have the cloak and map, or we'd be in big trouble."  
  
They got up from the table and left the small dining room. Harry looked around and spotted Dobby waiting for them.  
  
"Hi, Dobby. Thanks for dinner, it was great," Harry said.  
  
"Anything for Harry Potter! You and Ginny Weasley come down any time," he said excitedly.  
  
"Maybe we'll take you up on that," Harry said, smiling while glancing at Ginny.  
  
They made their way out of the kitchens into the corridor, and slipped the cloak over their heads. Harry felt very sleepy; bed was sounding very inviting as they made their way back to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
They removed the cloak just before they got to the portrait hole. The Fat Lady gave them a disapproving look as they gave the password, but swung open dutifully.  
  
"Um, Harry, I really had a lot of fun tonight. Thank you so much for taking me down to the kitchens," Ginny said, a bit shyly.  
  
"I had a lot of fun, too," Harry said, suddenly feeling very awkward. The light in the common room was rather dim, and Harry couldn't help but notice that Ginny looked quite pretty with her hair and eyes gleaming in the firelight of the torches. They both looked at each other for several long seconds.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll head up to bed," she said, slowly moving away. Harry had an urge to stop her, but felt very shy.  
  
"Ginny?" Harry said tentatively.  
  
"Yes, Harry?" Ginny said quietly, half turned away.  
  
"Maybe we can – do this again sometime?" Harry asked. Ginny smiled at him, and Harry felt a warm feeling come over him.  
  
"I would like that very much," she said, and walked up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.  
  
Harry slowly walked up the stairs toward his own room, reflecting on the evening. He walked into the room, where he could hear quiet snores from the other beds. He pulled out his pajamas and began to get changed.  
  
Ron poked his head out of his bed. "Harry?" he called quietly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm here," Harry said.  
  
Ron snickered. "Out for a late night adventure, eh? Who with?"  
  
"Oh, shut it, Ron," he said, annoyed.  
  
"You should have seen Hermione. She was fit to be tied. I told her you probably had the cloak, but she was worried you were going to get caught. Well, G'night."  
  
"'Night," said Harry.  
  
As Harry crawled into his bed, he realized that he had never looked up the information from the library that he had needed, but found he didn't mind at all.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: I know, I know. Feeding each other chocolate strawberries? It doesn't get much sappier than that. You can't say I didn't deliver the fluff, though. :) If this was too much for you, the next couple chapters are nice, action-packed chapters, heh._  
  
_This chapter cheerfully dedicated to reviewer Numba1, who reviews every chapter (thank you!) and never fails to tell me how much he hates the H/G ship. Admit it... you're warming to the idea. :D He should also check his FictionAlley owls once in a while._  
  
_Thanks especially my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningpower, or just send an e-mail to awakeningpower-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	16. Chapter 15 Hermione's Soldiers

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 15: Hermione's Soldiers_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry limped slightly while walking down the corridor, his face set with a very hard look. Hermione kept glancing over to him with a worried expression, while Ron appeared that he was trying to avoid looking at either one of them.  
  
"What?" Harry snapped at Hermione, irritated.  
  
"Erm, shouldn't you go to the infirmary, Harry?" she asked nervously.  
  
"I'm fine," he said shortly.  
  
The three had just finished a rather tense Defense class. They had been practicing sweep spells, which caused a side-pulling force on the opponent's feet, causing them to trip. As was common these days, Snape had called Harry up to the front to demonstrate.  
  
Harry blocked the first few spells Snape cast, but then Snape used an unusual variation Harry hadn't seen before, far more powerful than the usual sweeper. Snape invoked the sweep at almost floor level, causing Harry's ankle to bend. It had seemed all right in class, but was now beginning to flare with pain.  
  
The only positive note was that when Snape demonstrated the defensive spell, Harry's sweeper had penetrated his shield, causing Snape to land with a loud crash. Harry smiled maliciously at the memory. Since Snape had used a powerful spell against Harry, he didn't feel particularly guilty about using one against him.  
  
In fact, he was noticing that his spells were penetrating Snape's shields a fair amount of the time. Snape seemed to need to get them perfectly in-line to fully block Harry's spells. He'd also been noticing that few students in the class could block his spells, either.  
  
They went back to the common room and sat down at a table to do homework. A short while later, Harry noticed his ankle was swelling considerably and didn't seem to be getting better. As much as he hated another trip to the infirmary, it looked like it was going to be necessary.  
  
"My ankle's killing me. I guess I better go see Pomfrey," Harry grumbled.  
  
"Do you need help?" Hermione asked, looking concerned.  
  
"Nah, I'll be okay. I'll be back later," he said.  
  
"See you later, mate," Ron said, barely looking up as he concentrated on his work. Harry gave him in odd glance; he wondered again why he seemed to be so enamored of school work lately.  
  
Harry left the common room, limping down the corridor toward the infirmary, feeling hatred toward Snape. Although he was happy he was able to take Potions, he had to ask himself again what he'd done to Dumbledore to deserve Snape as Defense professor.  
  
As he walked into the infirmary, he noticed Madam Pomfrey's desk was empty, so he walked into the examining room. He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Snape sitting on a table, being attended to by Pomfrey. He had one very pale, skinny leg sticking out from his robes, lying on the table.  
  
"Well, Mr. Potter. Back again, I see. Well, come on over and sit down, I just need to do a bit of work on Professor Snape, here," she said, gesturing to the table next to Snape's table.  
  
"Erm, maybe I should come back later..." Harry said quickly.  
  
"Don't be silly; I'll be with you in a minute. Sit!" Pomfrey said commandingly, pointing at the table.  
  
As Harry reluctantly walked over, Snape stared straight ahead, his face a study in stone.  
  
"Well then, Professor, you've made quite a mess of this knee. Several torn ligaments. How did you say this happened?" she said, waving her wand over the knee.  
  
"It was... a small accident in class," Snape said smoothly, looking at Harry for the first time long enough to give him a cold warning glance. Harry didn't need the warning; as far as he was concerned, the less said the better.  
  
Pomfrey waved her wand over the rest of his leg, which seemed to indicate something to her as she made a tutting sound.  
  
"Well, not that small. I also see a small stress fracture in the tibia," she said, tapping her wand on his lower leg.  
  
Snape glanced at Harry again, looking extremely annoyed, but trying to hide it. "You may... spare me the details, Madam."  
  
Pomfrey appeared not to hear him as she walked over to a cabinet and brought back a few salves to apply. She rubbed them on Snape's leg and knee, and then waved her wand over them, casting a rather long spell.  
  
"All right, Professor. You need to sit for a half-hour with _no movement,_" she said. As Snape appeared about to open his mouth, Pomfrey cut him off curtly. "_Half-hour_. _No. Movement._"  
  
Snape closed his mouth, giving a small, frustrated sigh as he stared straight ahead.  
  
"Now then, Mr. Potter, what do we have?"  
  
"Uh, ankle," he said, gesturing at the swollen joint.  
  
"I must say, both of you have been rather accident prone this year," she said as she waved her wand over Harry's ankle. Harry and Snape involuntarily glanced at each other, then both looked away quickly as they continued staring straight ahead.  
  
"Not too bad, Mr. Potter. A bit of a bad sprain, I'd say. Easy enough to fix," she said, as she walked to her cabinet again. She brought back a greenish-looking substance that she rubbed into the swelling. To Harry's relief, the pain immediately vanished, although the remedy smelled like burning rubber.  
  
"All right. Ten minutes should do the trick," Pomfrey said. "Then you may go."  
  
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," said Harry.  
  
"Not at all," she said briskly. "I'll be at my desk if either of you need me." Pomfrey walked out of the room, leaving Harry and Snape alone.  
  
An incredibly thick tension descended on the room, as Harry and Snape were left sitting not six feet away from each other. Each minute ticked away like an eternity to Harry in the deafening silence between the two.  
  
Harry's ear suddenly itched, but somehow he couldn't even bring himself to scratch it lest he break the oppressive silence. Snape seemed like a statue next to him, appearing to barely breath.  
  
Five minutes went by, without a sound or a movement from either one. Finally Snape made a small throat-clearing sound. Harry flinched; the tiny sound felt like a gunshot in the taut atmosphere.  
  
"Horse hair!" Snape said abruptly.  
  
"W-what?" Harry said, blinking his eyes.  
  
Snape looked annoyed. "Horse hair, Potter! Horse hair! Does Professor Melanadray use horse hair in her callus removal potion? Surely you've started medicinal skin potions by now?"  
  
"Uh, yes, last week," Harry said, utterly confused.  
  
"Well?" Snape said.  
  
Harry paused. "Oh. Yes, she used horse hair in the potion," he said.  
  
"Good," Snape said, nodding, apparently satisfied.  
  
Harry felt a bit curious, since Snape brought up the subject of Melanadray.  
  
"Um, sir, may I ask... why did you pick Professor Melanadray?" Harry asked tentatively.  
  
Snape gave him a withering look. "Well, it wasn't because she was attractive, Potter."  
  
"N-no, of course not, it's just..." Harry paused. The question of why Melanadray appeared to look at Harry so oddly seemed impossible to bring up with Snape.  
  
"I picked her because she was the best, Potter. While you may have come to expect _special treatment_," Snape said with a sneer, "I assure you that I did not bestow any special treatment on who I recommended to Headmaster Dumbledore. She was the best Potions student I ever had."  
   
Harry felt himself growing angry. "I _don't _expect special treatment," he said coldly.  
  
"Don't you, Potter? Do I really need to run down the list of rule breaking during your first five years?" Snape said sarcastically.  
  
As Harry felt himself getting close to saying something he would regret, he suddenly realized his ten minutes were up.  
  
Without another word, he gingerly hopped off the table and stalked out of the infirmary.  
  
* * *  
  
"Did she tell you what she wanted?" Ron asked curiously.  
  
"No, she just said she wanted to meet a bit early to show us something," Harry said.  
  
They were on their way to the Room of Requirement for the weekend D.A. meeting. Crookshanks had walked up with a note in his teeth, giving it to Harry that morning. The note hadn't provided many details, but just said Hermione had something to show Ron and Harry, and they should come early.  
  
When they arrived, they noticed Hermione busily casting some spells on some large, odd-looking dolls. They were life-sized, but crudely made of stitched white cloth, with lumpy limbs and featureless round heads. There were about ten of them, sitting on a line of chairs. Harry and Ron glanced at each other.  
  
"Um, Hi, Hermione... what's this all about?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
Hermione beamed at them proudly. "I made magic sparring partners! I call them 'golems.' Seeing you and Tonks duel gave me the idea, and then I started thinking about Muggle video games."  
  
"Video games?" Ron said blankly.  
  
Hermione waved her hand. "Never mind; it doesn't matter. Anyway, it was much harder than I thought. I couldn't find anything in the library on how to do something like this. I found some animation spells that cause dolls to dance and that sort of thing. But then I found the key in Dumbledore's library."  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other again. "Erm, it's not dangerous, is it?" Harry asked nervously.  
  
"No, no, no," Hermione said impatiently. "I adapted a restricted spell used for creating war machines. It's quite complicated, actually; you have to create a special potion that acts as sort of magic storage cell. Anyway, it's used in war to continuously launch spells at a rapid rate; a sort of magic machine gun."  
  
"And that's not dangerous?" Ron asked incredulously.  
  
"Well, if I'd made a full-scale one it'd be dangerous, but I made one that just launches more mild spells, such as Expelliarmus. I also added an auto-aiming spell, so that it tries to get through your defense. You can set the accuracy and firing rate, so that both beginners and more advanced people can use them."  
  
"This is brilliant," Ron said, looking at Hermione admiringly, causing her to blush.  
  
"How do you start it?" Harry asked, intrigued by the idea.  
  
"Touch the golem with your wand and say, 'Augeo,' holding the wand on it for ten seconds. That will charge it up. Then back away and launch a spell at it. Whatever spell you launch will be the one it attacks you with. It will stop if you're disarmed, so just drop your wand or use Finite Incantatem," she said.  
  
Harry walked over to the nearest golem and cast the spell. His wand glowed as he could see a sort of lava-like substance flow from his wand into the body of the doll. He counted to ten and pulled his wand back. The golem suddenly leaped to life, getting up off the chair and assuming a dueling stance.  
  
"It was also a little tricky adapting the dancing spell to have them make dueling moves," Hermione said.  
  
"What's that red circle above the golem's head?" Harry said.  
  
"That's how many hits you score on it. It keeps track of how many spells touch it," Hermione explained.  
  
Harry held his wand out, and shouted, "_Expelliarmus_!"  
  
The spell appeared to sink into the golem, which then came to life, moving its feet gracefully. It launched a return spell, which Harry easily blocked. Harry launched a return spell, which the golem blocked as well.  
  
"How do I speed it up?" Harry asked.  
  
"Accelero," Hermione replied.  
  
Harry invoked the spell, and the golem started launching spells a bit more rapidly. He played at that speed for a while until he got into a good rhythm, and then sped it up again. He seemed to forget where he was as he played the game, sweat breaking out on his forehead. He sped the golem up several more times until he could barely keep up with it.  
  
A low murmuring in the room finally rose up in his consciousness, distracting him, and a spell finally slipped through his defenses, causing his wand to flip out of his hand.  
  
"Damn!" he shouted, pounding his fist into his hand.  
  
He turned around and noticed that many of the D.A. students had shown up while he was playing, and that most of the room was looking at him in shock. He saw Ginny in particular looking at him very oddly, causing him to blush in embarrassment, although he suddenly had an urge to play a bit more with her watching.  
  
Tonks had also shown up and walked over to him, her mouth hanging open a bit. "Um, Harry, that was... impressive. We have regular dueling meets among the Aurors, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I haven't seen too many that are faster than you. You could easily hold your own, and that you can at sixteen is..." she said, her voice trailing off.  
  
She seemed to shake herself and walked over to examine the golem, who was still standing in a dueling pose. "This is amazing. I mean, something like this would be incredibly useful for Auror training; I wonder why we don't have anything like it?"  
  
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, who appeared to have the same thought. He felt like they probably shouldn't say that the golems used restricted magic. He shook his head slightly at them, and they nodded back.  
  
"This is fantastic, Hermione. With enough practice against the golems, it ought to give us a big advantage in battle," Harry said, smiling at her.  
  
Hermione beamed at him, and Harry chuckled as he couldn't help but notice her glancing at Ron shyly, who was giving her another admiring gaze.  
  
Harry walked to the front of the room, watching more students walk in. He noticed with discomfort that as new students came in, the original students were whispering to them as they kept darting glances toward Harry.  
  
Harry was about to get started when two more students walked in, looking a combination of surly and anxious.  
  
Harry looked over at Ron, who narrowed his eyes. He recognized them as well: they were two Slytherin students. They walked over to Harry as Ron and Hermione came over as well.  
  
"Um, Potter, I'm Simon Silsbee," he said.  
  
"Richard Kelly," his partner said.  
  
"Look, can we talk to you alone?" Silsbee said.  
  
Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked curious, while Ron had his arms crossed and looked like he wanted to kick them out personally.  
  
"All right, but whatever you want to tell me, you can tell Ron and Hermione, too," said Harry.  
  
Kelly and Silsbee looked at each other and nodded.  
  
Harry looked around for a good spot and noticed a door in a wall he hadn't noticed before. He walked over and it opened to a small anteroom with a long, tall bar table and some stools. They all entered the room and Hermione closed the door. Harry waited for them to speak.  
  
"Look, Potter, we want to join the D.A.," said Silsbee.  
  
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione and then back to Silsbee.  
  
"Er, why?" Harry asked.  
  
"Let me be straight with you," said Silsbee. "I know that you lot think that Slytherins are all a bunch of You-Know-Who supporters, and maybe a lot of us are, but not all of us. Some of us see what's coming down the pike. I don't want to get killed when the war comes."  
  
"So it's all about you, is it?" Ron said sarcastically.  
  
Silsbee glared at him. "Just because I don't want to get my arse killed doesn't make me a bloody traitor."  
  
"What do the – others – think of you being here?" asked Hermione tentatively.  
  
For the first time, Silsbee looked hesitant as he glanced at Kelly.  
  
"Sod it," said Kelly. "Listen, you don't know what it's like down there these days. Malfoy struts around like he owns the place. He never comes out and makes direct threats, but we all know what his father's into, along with those idiots Crabbe and Goyle. We told him that we're coming here to spy on you, to find out what you're up to. We're supposed to give him regular reports. We don't know who _he _reports to."  
  
Silsbee had been nodding through Kelly's speech. "But what we told him was rubbish. We're here for the reason we told you – to practice defense."  
  
"How do we know you're not lying?" Ron said rudely.  
  
Silsbee gave him a withering look. "What other reason would I be here? I'm already telling you up front that that I have to report to Malfoy."  
  
"Right then, why don't you two wait outside and we'll talk for a minute," said Harry quietly.  
  
Silsbee and Kelly nodded as they left the room, closing the door behind them.  
  
"What do you think?" Harry asked.  
  
"I don't trust them," Ron said firmly. "They're bloody Slytherins, for Merlin's sake!"  
  
"Well, I'm not certain I trust them, either, but it does sound like they were being honest with us," Hermione said. "Remember what the sorting hat said... we might find potential allies anywhere. And should we really turn people away who want to learn, just because of what house they're in?"  
  
Ron looked like he wanted to turn them away for exactly that reason, but said no more as he looked at Harry.  
  
"Well, I think we should probably give them a chance," Harry said, a bit reluctantly. "Maybe they'll even give us some information about what's happening with Malfoy. I wouldn't mind hearing a bit more about what's going on down there."  
  
They walked back into the main room where the Silsbee and Kelly were waiting.  
  
"All right, you can stay," Harry said simply.  
  
They nodded and walked to a corner of the room, where many of the students gave them some wary glances, particularly the Gryffindors.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione looked over at Joseph as he busily worked on an essay. Although she still wasn't certain if she was as interested in him as he seemed to be in her, it was certainly fun studying with him. She had a sudden thought; Ron, Harry and Ginny were all playing in the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match the next day, so she had no one to sit with. She wondered if perhaps Joseph was going to the game. It might be fun to do something with him outside of studying.  
  
"Are you going to the match tomorrow?" Hermione asked brightly.  
  
Joseph looked at her blankly. "The what?"  
  
"Well, the Quidditch match... I mean, I know Ravenclaw isn't playing..." she said uncertainly.  
  
"Oh, Quidditch," he said, rolling his eyes a bit. "I never go to the games. I have no idea when they're played."  
  
"Never?" Hermione said.  
  
"You mean, you _like _Quidditch?" he said incredulously.  
  
"Oh, well, I'm not as into it as some, but..." she said, trailing off.  
  
Joseph's face scrunched up, as if he were trying to remember an unimportant detail. "Oh yes, Potter plays on the team, doesn't he? I suppose you _have _to go, since your friend is playing."  
  
"Well, actually, _three _of my friends are playing; Harry, Ron and Ron's sister Ginny are on the team... but... don't you think the games are rather exciting sometimes?"  
  
Joseph looked at Hermione as if she had just suggested slugs might make an appetizing meal. "Exciting? Most of the lot who play Quidditch are a bunch of idiots who wouldn't know a severing spell from an engraving charm," he said, a bit arrogantly. He suddenly looked bashful. "Er, well, not that your friends are necessarily like that..."  
  
Hermione looked at him hesitantly. "You don't care if Ravenclaw wins?"  
  
"What difference does it make to me? Really, how does it affect me one way or the other? I'm not on the field playing, not that I ever would play," he said. "And have you ever noticed how much the players are worshipped? I mean, they're treated as if they're special just because they can ride a broom better than anyone."  
  
"Well, yes, I suppose you're right that Quidditch players get a lot of attention," Hermione said. "When I went to the Ball with Viktor Krum, I couldn't believe the amount of attention he got."  
  
Joseph looked stunned. "You went to the Ball with Viktor Krum? I mean, I know nothing about Quidditch, but even I know who he is. I didn't go to the Ball, so I didn't know," he said, a bit shyly.  
  
"Oh! Er, I'm sorry, I guess I thought everyone knew," Hermione said, blushing.  
  
"Erm, do you still see him?" Joseph said, looking a bit insecure.  
  
"No, we used to keep in touch by writing, but he lives in Bulgaria. He is also older than I am," Hermione said.  
  
Joseph nodded, looking relieved. "But still, why should he get so much attention? Why about people like us, people who are smart? The players strut around like they own the world. I know a girl in Ravenclaw who actually did this Slytherin's homework, just because he was on the team, and she thought he was _sooo _wonderful..." he said, looking like he wanted to gag. "Of course, he didn't give her the time of day, but it didn't stop him from letting her do his homework."  
  
Hermione felt conflicted. Although she saw Joseph's point to some degree, she wasn't certain he was being entirely fair. Viktor never appeared entirely comfortable with all the attention; Harry certainly wasn't. She had to admit that Ron appeared to enjoy the attention, but he didn't strut excessively around the school.  
  
"I agree they get a lot of attention, but I don't think they're all like that," Hermione said cautiously.  
  
"All right," Joseph, apparently trying to be fair. "Ninety percent of them, seems like to me."  
  
Hermione didn't think that sounded quite fair, either, but decided to let it go.  
  
"Hey! Why don't you skip the match tomorrow, and we can study some more?" Joseph said. "I know your friends are playing, but surely they don't need you to watch them constantly."  
  
"Well, thanks, but I feel like I should be there to support them," Hermione said.  
  
Joseph shrugged his shoulders, looking a bit put out. "Suit yourself, then."  
  
* * *  
  
Harry walked down the corridor of Hogwarts, heading back to his dormitory. He slowed as he spotted Snape talking to Professor Melanadray, the sight of the two of them talking together feeling altogether too bizarre. He was just thinking of turning around and using another route when Melanadray called out to him.  
  
"Mr. Potter! Come here a moment," she said brightly.  
  
Harry glanced at Snape, who wore a frozen expression on his face as Harry walked up to the two of them.  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that you received a perfect mark on that Potions exam," she said, looking at him a bit proudly. "Isn't he a fantastic student, Severus?"  
  
Snape gritted his teeth, looking like he was biting back some sarcastic response. "Potter occasionally seems to perform... adequately."  
  
"Oh, Severus," she said, laughing, as she playfully hit his shoulder. Harry just stared in astonishment at the sight. "Always the man of understatement. Mr. Potter is one of my top students in the class. I'm certain you saw the same sort of Potions talent when you were teaching."  
  
"Er, perhaps," Snape said, looking as flustered as Harry had ever seen him. Harry fought back the urge to give him a smug look.  
  
"So, Mr. Potter, I would imagine that you are quite eager for the Quidditch match tomorrow. I must say, I've heard so much about your Quidditch skills that I'm excited to see you in action, not that I'm supposed to take sides as a teacher," she said, laughing. She turned to Snape. "Is he as good as they say, Severus?"  
  
Harry turned to Snape, his eyebrows raised, trying desperately to keep his face straight, and not break out in a smirk.  
  
Snape looked at Melanadray, then at Harry, then back again. "He... he... is an adequate Seeker of perhaps some moderate talent."  
  
Melanadray laughed again; Harry finding that he quite enjoyed the sound of her laugh, before he shook himself.  
  
Harry knew he shouldn't press his luck, but he couldn't resist some sort of comment. "Thanks, Professor Snape. That's nice of you to say," Harry said, with a dead straight face.  
  
Snape pursed his lips tightly, appearing like he wanted to send a poisoned look at Harry, but glancing at Melanadray, he just gave him a nod. "Well, good day, Potter," Snape said, dismissing him.  
  
"Good luck, Mr. Potter," Melanadray said, giving him a warm smile.  
  
Harry walked away, trying not to burst out laughing.  
  
* * *  
  
Ron looked into his bathroom mirror, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. He ran his fingers through his wet hair, trying not think about the fact that the first game of the year was about to be played.  
  
_Why did I take the captain job? _he thought morosely. True, he had done well in the final game of last year. They had won the cup. Shouldn't that be enough to give him some confidence? Yet, he felt like something terrible was about to happen.  
  
Practice appeared to have been going well lately. Sam, their new Chaser, was raw, but had a lot of natural talent. But there was no substitute for experience, and Ron had to hope that Sam's ability in practice translated well to the field.  
  
He sighed. At least the Slytherins hadn't been singing _Weasley is our King _constantly this year, since that seemed to have backfired at the end of last year.  
  
He quickly dressed and entered into the common room, where he saw Harry and Hermione. She gave him an encouraging smile, which Ron returned weakly.  
  
"Good morning, Ron!" she said brightly. "Looks like perfect Quidditch weather today."  
  
"Yeah," Ron grunted, feeling too nervous to even talk about the weather as they exited through the portrait hole.  
  
Walking into the Great Hall, Malfoy met at them at the door, apparently waiting for them.  
"Weasley is our King, he always lets the Quaffle in..." he sang.  
  
Ron glared at Malfoy. "Don't you have any new material, Malfoy? Or didn't Crabbe and Goyle write some down for you?"  
  
Crabbe and Goyle looked confused, as if they were wondering what they had forgotten to give to Malfoy.  
  
"So, Weasley, you're the captain, eh? That's a lot of pressure, I'd say," Malfoy said smoothly.  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy," Ron said, irritated.  
  
"All those expectations... after all, you won the cup last year. And let's face it... you had one lucky game. It'd be a shame if you reverted... well, _back to form_," Malfoy drawled, smirking. "Everyone will be watching today, watching to see if it was all a fluke last year."  
  
"It wasn't a fluke!" Hermione said, looking angry. Ron and Harry glanced at her, eyebrows raised. "You know, your track record in Quidditch isn't exactly stellar, Malfoy."  
  
"Watch your mouth, mudblood," Malfoy said coldly, looking very angry.  
  
Ron suddenly lunged at Malfoy, grabbing him by the neck and pulling his fist back. Harry grabbed his arm, keeping him from delivering the blow. Malfoy tried to back away, an unmistakable look of fear in his eye.  
  
"Ron, no!" Harry said. "We need you on the team. Don't get suspended now... he's not worth it... it's what he wants!"  
  
Ron struggled for a second, then turned away angrily and stalked off. Harry and Hermione followed him quickly to the Gryffindor table as he furiously sat down.  
  
Ron looked down at the table, hands rubbing his temples as he tried to bring himself back under control. _Sodding Malfoy, _he thought. _And the worst part is that he's right. Everyone will be watching to see if I make a mess of it. _Ron kept his head down for a minute, trying to calm himself down.  
  
"Ron...?" Hermione said tentatively.  
  
He looked up and Hermione bashfully passed him a plate, loaded up with his favorite breakfast items. Ron swallowed, feeling a bit moved by the gesture. He smiled at her and took the plate.  
  
"Thanks... just what I need," he said.  
  
"Well, the Gryffindor captain needs a good breakfast, right?" she said, smiling back.  
  
"Right," Ron said, digging in. He knew it was silly, but somehow the food tasted better when given to him by Hermione.  
  
* * *  
  
Ron began pacing in front of the team, his hands clasped tensely behind his back  
  
"All right, it's the first game of the season," Ron said in a low voice. "We are the best team at Hogwarts, there's no question about it, and we've been practicing hard."  
  
"Now!" he suddenly shouted, making everyone flinch. "I've been saying this for a week, and I'll say it again today. You may think that Hufflepuff is going to be a pushover, but I'm telling you that this team is dangerous! The rumors surrounding this new Keeper and the new Chaser are worrying me. They're supposed to be good... _very _good. This could be one of the best Hufflepuff teams in years."  
  
He paused, looking down the line at his teammates, letting the speech sink in.  
  
"It's going to take a _team effort _today. Quidditch offense begins with defense; I want to see tight Chaser defense," Ron said, looking at the three Chasers, "as well as precision  Beater play," he finished, looking at Kirke and Sloper. "It's critical that we shut down their passing game."  
  
Ron glanced at Harry. "Their Seeker is the same one as last year. Not bad, competent, but nowhere near Harry, so we have no worries on that score. I want to try and score as many points as possible before he catches it, though, so we need to play hard."  
  
"Katie, since you have the most experience, I want you to defend their new Chaser, Jackson. Ginny, you'll take Donnelly, and Sam, you'll take Francis," Ron said. The three Chasers nodded at their defensive assignments, Sam looking a bit nervous.  
  
"Who are we?" Ron shouted.  
  
"Gryffindor!" The team yelled back.  
  
"Let's Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!" Ron yelled, running toward the door as the rest of the team leapt up and followed him toward the entry gates.  
  
As they enthusiastically jogged along the corridor, Ron came up alongside Sam.  
  
"All right, Sam?" he asked.  
  
"Y-yes, I'm ready. I think," he said, trying to hide his anxiousness.  
  
Ron clapped him on the shoulder. "Look, you did great in practice. The first game is always the hardest, but just think about doing your job. That's all that matters... doing your job, doing your best. If you do that, everything else will follow."  
  
Sam nodded, and blew out a deep breath, looking a bit more solid.  
  
_Right, Weasley, now remember your own advice. Remember the last game last year. Just do your job, _Ron thought, trying to pump himself up.  
  
They ran onto the field, the cheers of the Gryffindors deafening in the stadium. Ron moved to the center of the field and shook hands with the Hufflepuff captain.  
  
"All right, I want a nice clean game," said Madam Hooch warningly. She opened the box and released the Snitch, which fluttered up next to Ron's ear for a split second and then flew away. She then released the Bludgers, and finally took out the Quaffle. She blew her silver whistle and threw the ball into the air as both teams mounted their brooms and flew off.  
  
Ron flew over to the Gryffindor goal, feeling nervous about the first game. _Easy, Weasley, easy. _His eyes searched the stands, until he finally saw Hermione sitting at the front of the Gryffindor section, waving to him energetically.  
  
Gryffindor had the Quaffle and immediately began running a pattern they had been drilling recently. He felt proud as he watched them crisply passing the Quaffle back and forth.  
  
He saw Ginny pass to Katie, who threw a shot at goal, only to have it caught by the Hufflepuff's new Keeper. Ron swore under his breath; it was an excellent catch.  
  
He began to get ready as the Hufflepuffs ran it back down the field. Ginny's new broom was working excellently; she was staying with Donnelly like a glove, making it difficult for him to receive passes.  
  
He noticed that Jackson was as good as rumored; Katie was having a very hard time defending him. He suddenly caught the ball and made a dive directly at Ron. Jackson faked to his left and threw right, catching Ron off guard, and Hufflepuff made the first goal.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Ron said, angry with himself for falling for the fake. He started to feel a seed of self-doubt, but shook himself as he concentrated on the field again.  
  
Ron looked over at Harry, who was flying a search pattern, looking for the Snitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker seemed satisfied to follow Harry's pattern for now, as he flew closely behind.  
  
Ron started to worry as the game progressed. He was having a very difficult time catching shots from the new Hufflepuff Chaser, who was exceptionally quick. He was saving more often than not, but the score on the Hufflepuff side was slowly creeping up. It was obvious the Hufflepuff's strategy was to win based on goals; they were clearly trying to score as many as possible before Harry caught the Snitch.  
  
Ron could also tell his Chasers were growing frustrated trying to get it past the Hufflepuff Keeper. The score was now 140 to 50 in favor of Hufflepuff, and Ron was getting worried that if things kept up the way they were going, they might lose even if they caught the Snitch.  
  
_Bloody hell, this was a huge mistake to make me captain. I'm a bloody useless Keeper as well, _he thought, starting to panic a bit.  
  
He looked over at the stands where Hermione was sitting. He could see her looking worried, but somehow seeing her there calmed him a bit. She saw him looking at her and waved at him.  
  
_All right, Weasley. You want to show her what you're made of, right? Well, now's your chance, _he thought. _Quidditch is a team game. Use your teammates._  
  
Ron had been watching the Hufflepuff Keeper closely, and he thought he might have seen a weakness. When Gryffindor next had the Quaffle, he called a time-out. Katie, Ginny and Sam came over, followed by Kirke and Sloper. He noticed that they all appeared very frustrated and despondent.  
  
"All right, team, time to adjust our strategy a bit. First of all, Jackson is killing us. We need to shut him down. Ginny, I want you and Katie to defensively double him up; both of you stick to him like glue. Sam, that means you need to play a zone defense between Donnelly and Francis. Stay between them and Jackson. Make certain Jackson can't get the Quaffle! Andrew, Jack – I want you two to constantly send the Bludger at Jackson. If Hufflepuff is going to beat us, force them to use Donnelly and Francis.  
  
"The second thing is their Keeper is obviously good. But I think he has some trouble defending below left. I want you to come up from below and concentrate on his left side. Mix it up a bit so it's not obvious, but pound that lower left. Four of our five goals have come from that spot."  
  
"All right?" Ron said.  
  
"No worries, captain," Ginny said, giving him a salute and a smile. _You know, sometimes my little sister isn't so bad, _Ron thought.  
  
After they flew away and the game resumed, Ron began to see an immediate change in the complexion of the game. He could see Jackson growing frustrated as Katie and Ginny stuck to him, making it impossible for him to receive the Quaffle. Kirke and Sloper were beating the Bludger at him mercilessly.  
  
As Donnelly and Francis realized that the scoring burden was all on them, they began to show signs of strain from the pressure. Their passing and shot selection grew sloppy, and Ron was able to easily intercept their shots.  
  
Meanwhile, Gryffindor's Chasers also started having some slow, but sure, success as they relentlessly hit the lower left corner of the Keeper's defensive zone. Ron noted with satisfaction that their Keeper was growing noticeably agitated as they scored several quick goals.  
  
Gradually the score evened out until Gryffindor surged ahead, 150 to 140, causing the stands to roar with excitement.  
  
Suddenly Ron heard the crowd give another excited roar and saw Harry diving toward the ground. _Go, go, _Ron thought, hoping Harry had a line on the Snitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker followed Harry immediately after, but pulled out of the dive as Harry made a reckless recovery, just grazing the ground. Harry grabbed the Snitch out of the air and held it up victoriously. Madam Hooch blew the whistle, ending the game with a final score of 300 to 140.  
  
The Gryffindor stands erupted in pandemonium, cheering the players. Ron looked over at the stands and swelled with pride as he saw Hermione jumping up and down with excitement.  
  
He looked back over to Harry and saw that he and Ginny were embracing excitedly. Ron's face took on a smirk as he noticed that the embrace seemed to go on much longer than was strictly necessary, and then he flew to join his excited teammates.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: More thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	17. Chapter 16 Goblins in the Night

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 16: Goblins in the Night_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry sat alone in Dumbledore's library, reading through another one of the more obscure books, which had caught his eye because it seemed so harmless. It was a book about making large sculptures; an art book, of all things. What could be so bad about sculptures?  
  
He skimmed through the book, looking at the various stone carving spells. He supposed those might be harmful if cast against people, but still, a lot of spells were like that. It just didn't seem to warrant being in the library.  
  
He continued reading, then came across a chapter, causing him to sit in stunned silence as he realized what he was reading.  
  
_The Manipulation Spell_  
  
_This spell is very powerful, and may be used for creating very large sculptures from pliable materials. Many artists use it for creating clay sculptures, but many powerful wizards find that they can manipulate molten metal, and in a particularly interesting use, a wizard once used it with molten lava._  
  
_The spell allows the wizard to imagine pushing the material in various ways, causing it to bend or shape, making it simple to form the medium into the desired form._  
  
_**Warning: **This is a class B restricted spell, to be used only by authorized artists with the proper licensing. It must never be used against living creatures._  
  
Harry closed his eyes, the events at the end of the Triwizard Tournament coming back in vivid detail. He recalled being held by Voldemort, and forced to bow in front of him, like a giant hand bending his back. Looking at the book, he was certain this was the spell Voldemort had used against him.  
  
With a morbid fascination, he read the details of how to make the spell work. It seemed so odd to read such a dry analysis of a spell that was used in one of the most horrific events of his life.  
  
He looked over curiously at an apple he had brought for a snack. Pulling out his wand, he gave the incantation. "_Adfectus Anfractum!_"  
  
He imagined pushing the apple around the desk, and it did what he commanded, rolling about the surface. He imagined doing a gentle push on the skin of the apple, trying to peel it. A large gouge came out of the apple instead, which he chalked up to his inexperience with the spell.  
  
Reading the book a bit more, he saw that twisting the wand adjusted the grip strength. Apparently one had to get the strength right for subtle manipulations. He twisted the wand to the left, making a gentle force. He tried again to peel the apple, with a bit more success, but he still wasn't very accurate.  
  
Deciding to try a firmer grip, he did a sharp twist to the right, causing the apple to suddenly pulverize into a wet mass, which flopped onto the table. Harry blinked, staring at what looked like a pile of pureed apple on the desk.  
  
A stab of fear went down his spine, as he imagined himself as the apple under Voldemort's control. He decided it might be a good idea to discuss the spell with Hermione and learn how to defend against it.  
  
* * *  
  
"It'll be nice to go home for Christmas this year," Ron said, as he packed a few things into his trunk.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, also packing as well. "Is Hermione coming at any point?"  
  
"Supposedly she's coming sometime after Christmas Day," Ron replied, then grinned. "Not like her to not have it pinned down to the second. I think her mum and dad might have a trip planned."  
  
They headed downstairs to wait for Hermione and Ginny. The Hogwarts Express wasn't due to leave for another hour, but Hermione had insisted on getting there extra early. As prefects, she and Ron had to be there to help load the first years onto the train. Harry and Ginny had decided they might as well head down early as well.  
  
The train ride back to Kings Cross was uneventful as they chatted or played games during the trip. Soon they pulled into the station and found Mrs. Weasley waiting on the platform.  
  
"Welcome home," she said, smiling, as she went along and hugged everyone. Hermione saw her parents on the platform as well, and gave a cheerful goodbye as she joined them.  
  
They took a Ministry car back to the Burrow, Harry almost falling asleep in the back. It had been such a busy year so far, and he was very much looking forward to a nice, quiet holiday.  
  
They soon arrived, everyone getting unpacked into their rooms; Harry taking Fred and George's room again. He looked around suspiciously, but finally decided he was too tired to worry about whether they had set up another prank. He was so exhausted he figured he would just sleep through it.  
  
Harry played a bit of chess with Ron after dinner, but his soft bed kept calling for him. He felt peaceful and relaxed back in the Burrow, and all the stress of the year seemed far away while he was there. He finally said good night to everyone, changed into his pajamas, and fell quickly asleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry shot out of bed as a loud explosion rocked the Burrow. Looking around wildly, he could feel the house swaying from the shock. He felt a thrill of fear as he suspected an attack might be happening.  
  
He grabbed his wand and ran out the door, meeting Ginny as she came out of her room as well. He started running down the stairs and stopped, stunned, as he saw the entire front of the Burrow broken away. Many goblins were running around the debris, causing Ragnok's warning to come back to him. He knew they must be after him.  
  
He ran back up the stairs where he saw Ron and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley on the landing.  
  
"Goblins! They're attacking the Burrow. They want me..." Harry said.  
  
"Don't worry, Harry, the Aurors will be here any second," said Mr. Weasley, holding his wand with a firm expression.  
  
"There's no time! They must have some plan to take me before they get here. I have to get out of here, lead them away!" Harry said.  
  
"Harry, no!" said Mrs. Weasley. "It's too dangerous... Wait for the Aurors!"  
  
He didn't know why, but his gut instinct was that he needed to get out of the house immediately. Undoubtedly the Aurors would get there, but there had to be some plan for that. Goblins weren't stupid.  
  
He ran back into his room and grabbed his Firebolt. Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, he eyed the window, which was closed. He knew he had only seconds, and sometimes the windows of the Burrow were sticky...  
  
Making a decision, he mounted his broom. He took a deep breath and put his head down with his arms over it and flew straight at the window. He burst through the glass and wood just as he heard a struggle in the corridor and goblins entering the room. A shower of glass and wood rained down on the snow in front of the Burrow as he flew up into the sky.  
  
He flew about fifty yards and then turned to look back. He could see several goblins through his shattered window, as well as a gang of goblins guarding the grounds of the house. He felt a sudden stab of fear for everyone back in the Burrow.  
  
He flew back to the yard. "Hey! You bloody ugly gits! I'm up here... come and get me!"  
  
The goblins all turned and the ones that were inside swarmed out of the house. He could see them running toward some odd-looking vehicles; they had a seat with a sort of table in front. If anything, they resembled a child's desk.  
  
The goblins took to the air, and Harry streaked off, the goblins in hot pursuit. He flew up the snow-covered hill toward the paddock. Suddenly he saw some streaks of light flying past him. He felt a stab of pain as one of the beams caught his arm, and he could feel it growing wet with blood. He started making evasive maneuvers, trying to keep them from hitting him.  
  
He burst through the trees into the open field, trying to think of what to do. He had to lose them. It was very dark; dare he fly into the trees? It was risky – but his only option. He pulled out his wand.  
  
"_Fulgeo Lumos!_" he shouted. A focused beam of light shot out the end of his wand, illuminating the path in front of him. He flew into the forest, cutting around the trees, trying to lose the goblins. The flying desks looked awkward, but appeared to be quite maneuverable as they followed Harry.  
  
Sailing through the trees, Harry abruptly heard a loud THWACK and felt a grim satisfaction as he realized that he had lost at least one of them. He wasn't certain how many were back there, but he suspected about a dozen were involved in the attack.  
  
He came out into a clearing and put on a burst of speed toward the other edge. He stopped and spun the broom around, waiting for them to come through. He held his wand at the ready.  
  
"_Stupefy!_" he shouted, aiming at the first goblin that came out. He felt elated as he scored a direct hit, the goblin falling and crashing into the snow. Several other goblins came out, but then flew back to the safety of the trees as they saw their fallen partner. He could see some light within the trees where the goblins were illuminating their path, but it was difficult to get a fix on them. He shot a few more stunners into the trees, but didn't think he hit any of them.  
  
Suddenly a burst of the odd cutting spells came hurling out of the forest; apparently they had waited for all of their cohorts and launched a coordinated attack. Harry tried to dodge, but a spell caught him in the lower leg, causing more blood to flow. He decided he was much too exposed; there were too many of them to fight a pitched battle like this.  
  
Harry realized with chagrin that he hadn't made much of a study of goblin magic. He wasn't certain exactly how to defend against their spells. He resolved to himself to correct that oversight if he made it back to Hogwarts.  
  
He took off into the trees again, sure that they would continue to follow. Having an idea, he slowed a bit, letting them catch up. He could hear several of the goblins whistling through the air. As more cutting spells flew past him, he flew in a random pattern, going left and right, up and down, trying to keep them from hitting him.  
  
Harry spied a relatively open pathway, just the thing he was looking for. He flew in, slowing down a bit, letting them get closer. Just as he heard them getting fairly near and the cutting spells started to fly, he pointed his wand backwards.  
  
"_Murus!_" he yelled. A stone wall appeared behind him.  
  
TH-TH-TH-THWACK! Harry clenched his fist, as it sounded as if he may have stopped at least four more of them. He sped up and turned back into the safety of the trees. Taking a quick glance back, he saw that the ones left were giving him a much safer distance. Apparently that trick was only going to work once.  
  
_Where are the Aurors anyway? _he thought, aggravated. They should have come and helped him by now. Something must have happened to them.  
  
Harry beat his fist against his head. _Think! _he exhorted himself. Deciding that he needed to try something different, he flew straight up in the air, gaining altitude. He flew high above the trees and then whirled the broom around, holding his wand at the ready.  
  
The goblins came up above the trees, hovering close to each other, apparently discussing the situation and trying to decide on a strategy. There appeared to be six of them left.  
  
"Come on," Harry whispered to himself. "Come closer..." If he could just lure them up there, he was certain he could stun them eventually.  
  
Unfortunately, the goblins appeared to think along the same lines and resisted the bait as Harry sighed with frustration. Since time was on Harry's side, he figured he might as well wait and see what they did. He would be perfectly happy with a stalemate.  
  
As Harry watched them curiously, the goblins backed away from each other, and arranged themselves in a circle. He saw them put out their hands, with their long fingers pointing toward the center of the circle. A ball of light grew in the middle as Harry abruptly realized the circle was pointed directly at him. Panicked, he started flying away just as the ball of light erupted from the center of the circle. He didn't know what the light was, but suspected that he didn't want it to touch him.  
  
He looked back and saw the ball of light arching toward him; the goblins in pursuit as well. Apparently the light was guided in some way as he flew back and forth, trying to lose it. He put on a burst of speed, but the light seemed a bit faster than he was. Looking down at the landscape, he was over a fairly flat area, so he didn't think he could make it back to the forest before the light caught him.  
  
The ball was getting very close when he abruptly made a sharp turn, causing the light to fly past him. Apparently he had a maneuverability advantage, which gave him an idea. Harry flew straight up again, the ball angling up. He flew in a long arc, getting the ball directly behind him, and then flew into a dive, straight at the ground.  
  
_It's just like a Wronski Feint... _Harry thought as he accelerated toward the ground. Waiting until the last possible moment, he pulled out of the dive, actually plowing a groove through the snow. Hearing a loud explosion behind him, he turned his head and noticed a large crater where the ball had hit the ground.  
  
Harry gulped. Apparently the goblins weren't messing about and were planning on taking him in, dead or alive.  
  
Harry skimmed along the ground as he could see them above him heading down at a fast pace. The forest was at least another five hundred yards away; he was at a definite disadvantage where he was. A shower of cutting spells landed around him as he wove back and forth. He felt a hit on his back shoulder, then another on the calf of his leg.  
  
He angled up, trying to get some altitude, but that had the effect of the goblins being able to close in on him faster, and also making it take much longer to get to the safety of the forest. Harry decided his only chance was to attack and prevent them from trying to do another guided ball spell. He worried a bit that they might have some other magic up their sleeve, but he had no choice.  
  
He flew a sharp arc upward, spinning around to bring himself upright again and flew straight at the goblins. He saw them start in shock as they split away from each other. Harry picked the nearest one, coming up behind him.  
  
"_Stupefy!_" he shouted. The stunned goblin fell toward the ground. He saw the other five grouping together, appearing to try and form the circle. He wasn't certain how many were needed, so trying to stun any one of them might not stop them from launching another guided ball spell.  
  
There was a spell he'd been practicing, he wasn't totally adept at it, but he had no choice. It was very powerful and affected a wide area, which would hit them all at the same time. He had to concentrate; focus his mind... it needed the right mental state... he had to imagine himself holding the air around the goblins in his hands...  
  
"_Concussium!_" The concussion spell leapt out of his wand, spreading as it went. As it hit the goblins, he saw them violently jerk together, then they all flew apart, vibrating violently in the turbulent air. Four of the goblins fell toward the ground, apparently knocked out.  
  
The last goblin appeared to be shaken up, but still conscious. He shook himself and then looked down at his fallen comrades. Apparently not liking the odds any longer, he streaked off. Harry gave chase, feeling angry and wanting to make certain he didn't get away. Harry launched several stunning spells, finally hitting the goblin and making him crash to the snow.  
  
Harry landed on the ground and collapsed with exhaustion, just lying down in the snow. He shivered, then suddenly realized he was still in his pajamas and probably shouldn't stay too long out in the cold night. He hadn't noticed the frigid air in all the excitement.  
  
Looking up, he saw a large group of people on broomsticks flying rapidly toward his position. He got up and waved toward them. Mr. Weasley and a group of Aurors landed in front of him. He noticed Tonks was among them, looking very angry at the goblins.  
  
"Harry! Are you all right?" asked Mr. Weasley, looking back and forth between Harry and the fallen goblins.  
  
"Yeah... I'm all right now. Is everyone else all right?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"Yes, Harry, everyone is fine," said Mr. Weasley, looking relieved.  
  
"Great Merlin, Harry, look at you..." Tonks said, staring at the cuts all over him. "I see you got some experience with their cutting hexes; they're a goblin specialty."  
  
Harry looked down at himself. His pajamas were covered in blood; apparently he had been hit with more of the cutting spells than he had thought. "Er, yeah," Harry said, not sure what else to say.  
  
"Are you all right to fly back, or do you want to ride with me?" Tonks asked.  
  
"No, I'm all right, though I'm not certain I know how to get back," Harry said.  
  
"Well, follow me; let's get you back to the Burrow before you freeze to death. The Aurors will handle the goblins," she said.  
  
"Some of them are back in the forest..." Harry said.  
  
"Yes, we detected them in there," Tonks said, grinning. "They _only_ sent a dozen after you? I guess they learned their lesson not to send such a small army."  
  
Harry grinned back sheepishly, feeling embarrassed at the praise. "Well, that was more than enough for my taste."  
  
"That's more than enough for anyone's taste, Harry, truthfully. Goblins are tough; they're not overall as magically powerful as we are, but they have a few specialties and they are very, very clever. You don't want to mess with goblins if you can help it," she said.  
  
"What happened to the other Aurors?" Harry asked.  
  
Her face grew dark. "Ambushed. It shouldn't have happened, but somehow they knew exactly where they were hiding. It was a well coordinated attack. We suspect You-Know-Who gave them the information, as well as some magical help to get all the Aurors at once. They were just stunned, fortunately. We suspect these goblins were a rogue bunch; we've already been in contact with Ragnok and he was shocked and angry, to say the least. He's on his way here, actually."  
  
"I'm glad the Aurors are all right," Harry said, feeling a bit guilty for people getting injured on his account.  
  
"They're tough blokes. They'll be all right," Tonks said.  
  
Harry shivered involuntarily, the cold finally getting to him.  
  
"_Fervefacio!_" Tonks said, waving her wand at Harry.  
  
Harry felt himself instantly get warm, the heat seeming to radiate from his insides. "Ahhh, that felt good. Thanks," he said, smiling.  
  
Tonks chuckled. "That'll hold you until we get back. Shall we go?"  
  
"Yes, definitely," Harry said.  
  
They mounted their brooms; Tonks taking the lead as Harry followed her back to the Burrow. Harry felt himself finally calming down as he followed Tonks, feeling safe now that the Aurors were here. The cold had been numbing his limbs, but as they flew back, he could feel the cuts start to flare with pain.  
  
As they approached the Burrow, Harry felt appalled by the damage. The whole front wall of the ground floor had been torn off, and he could see signs of more minor damage elsewhere. He felt a mixture of anger and guilt as he saw everyone in the front, surveying the damage. The Aurors were setting up some temporary tents for a base camp.  
  
As Harry landed, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny shouted "Harry!" in high-pitched voices and ran over to him, both embracing him simultaneously.  
  
"Harry, mate! Are you all right?" Ron asked, peering at his blood-stained pajamas.  
  
"Look at you!" said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes wide at the blood. "You poor boy... get inside... go sit next to the fireplace and get warm. Ron! Go up and get him a change of clothes."  
  
Ron ran in, heading upstairs as Harry limped through the broken front of the Burrow, his wounds flaring with considerable pain. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny followed closely, looking very worried, and Tonks followed in as well. Harry sat on the hearth of the fireplace, getting warm by the fire. Fortunately, it didn't look as if the fireplace or chimney was damaged from the attack.  
  
"Tonks, could you mix a blood replacement potion? The ingredients are in the pantry; I keep them around just in case," Mrs. Weasley said. "I can heal the wounds."  
  
Tonks nodded. "Right." She headed toward the kitchen.  
  
Mrs. Weasley pulled her wand and began slicing the blood-stained garments off Harry. As the clothes came off, he glanced at Ginny, his face growing hot with embarrassment. He was grateful he didn't seem to have any blood on his underwear.  
  
"Oh, for goodness sakes, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley sternly. "This is no time for modesty."  
  
She peeled the last of the pajamas off Harry, throwing them into the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley frowned as she surveyed the cuts over his body, some starting to bleed again from having the pajamas pulled away. Harry groaned a bit.  
  
"Does it hurt very much, Harry?" Ginny asked, concerned.  
  
Harry smiled at her with a bit of grimace. "I'm all right. I'm just glad it's over."  
  
Mrs. Weasley starting working on his cuts, waving her wand over each one and casting a healing spell. "Nasty business, these goblin cutting spells," she said, looking angry.  
  
Now that he was back safely in the Burrow, Harry started feeling guilty for all the trouble that had followed him there.  
  
"I'm really sorry for this," Harry said to Mrs. Weasley.  
  
She looked shocked and angry. "Great Merlin, Harry, don't you dare blame yourself for this! It's not your fault. In fact, it was a very brave thing you did, leading them away from us. _Not that I'm letting you off the hook for that!_" she ended sternly.  
  
Ron came back into the room, carrying some fresh trousers, a shirt and some shoes and socks for Harry. He put them down on the hearth next to him.  
  
"Thanks," Harry said.  
  
"No worries, mate," Ron said, grimacing a bit as he looked at the cuts still on Harry's body.  
  
Finally Mrs. Weasley had all the cuts healed, and Harry was able to get dressed again, to his relief. Tonks walked in with a glass of an odd-looking red potion, which Harry looked at dubiously.  
  
Tonks laughed. "It's not blood. It's a blood enhancement potion. It helps your body replace the blood you lost. I've had it before; it's pretty tasty, actually."  
  
Harry took the potion and took a small sip. To his relief, it had a sweet flavor, completely unlike the taste of blood. He downed the whole thing gratefully.  
  
Mr. Weasley and a group of Aurors came into the house. "Looking better, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, smiling at him. "Molly, they're going to help me conjure some temporary walls to close off the place."  
  
Just then, a large group of flying desks landed in the Burrow's front, causing Harry to tense up. He relaxed as he noticed Ragnok among the group, looking quite livid as he surveyed the damage. He carefully walked through the ruined wall.  
  
"Arthur. I wish our meeting was under more pleasant circumstances," Ragnok said gravely, shaking Mr. Weasley's hand.  
  
"Minister Ragnok. Welcome to my home. I wish it was in a bit better shape for your visit," Arthur said, with a smile.  
  
"And Mr. Potter," he said, turning to Harry and shaking his hand as well. "I am pleased that your injuries were relatively minor. Please accept my apologies on behalf of the goblin community, to both of you, for this attack. I assure you that it was not sanctioned, not supported, and will be severely punished."  
  
Turning back to Mr. Weasley, Ragnok said further, "Of course, Arthur, the goblin government will compensate you for the repairs to your house. My staff has brought enough to get you started; please consider that only an initial payment."  
  
Arthur nodded. "Thank you, Minister. That is generous and appreciated. I hope you will visit again once the repairs are completed, so that I may show you proper hospitality."  
  
Ragnok smiled a toothy goblin smile. "You are generous in your forgiveness as well. I will make it a special point to visit in the future."  
  
"Who were they?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
Ragnok's expression grew angry once again. "The initial reports from your Aurors seem to indicate they belong to a cult that we had thought disbanded after Voldemort's last defeat. They believe that the Dark Lord was born to rule over all the races forever, and they worship him on that basis. We had suspected that they reformed after his rise, but this is the first direct evidence of action by them."  
  
One of Ragnok's assistants came up and whispered in his ear.  
  
"Pardon me; Minister Fudge would like to speak to me on the secure floo set up outside," Ragnok said, bowing and walking outside.  
  
Harry got up off the hearth and settled into a chair next to the fire. He felt exhausted, but at the same time felt much too hyped up to even think about sleeping again.  
  
"Ginny, why don't we get everyone some tea," Mrs. Weasley said.  
  
"Would you like some tea, Harry?" Ginny said.  
  
Tea suddenly sounded really good. "Yes, thanks," he said gratefully.  
  
"I'll bring you a cup," Ginny said. She smiled at him, making Harry feel a little better as she walked toward the kitchen with Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"You know, I'd better send an owl to Hermione... she'll for certain want to know what's happened," Ron said. "You all right, mate?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to sit for a while," Harry said.  
  
He noticed that Mr. Weasley had wandered off with Tonks and was talking to the Aurors, leaving him alone in the living room. It felt good to have a bit of silence as he closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to calm himself...  
  
* * *  
  
Harry awoke, slowly realizing that he had dozed off without meaning to. Feeling very warm and comfortable, he noticed he had been covered with a large blanket. He looked about the room, startled, as he realized that he must have slept for some time. A temporary wall had been erected on the front of the house, and he could see daylight outside through the window.  
  
He heard some talking from the kitchen and figured that everyone must be in there. He climbed out of the chair, feeling a bit stiff as he gave a huge stretch and yawn. He was glad he had slept; the rest had taken the edge off the frightening episode.  
  
He walked into the kitchen, where Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Ron and Tonks were seated around the table, with Mrs. Weasley busily cooking. Harry could smell some breakfast sausages cooking, the smell causing a growl to come from his stomach.  
  
"Good morning, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, coming over to embrace him. Harry embraced her back tightly. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Fine, thanks," Harry said. "Hungry, though."  
  
"I think I can take care of that," Mrs. Weasley said, chuckling. "Go sit down."  
  
Harry took a seat at the table, greeting everyone.  
  
"How long did I sleep? I'm not even certain what time it all happened last night," Harry said.  
  
Ron snickered. "About four hours. I can't believe how much noise you slept through while they were shoring up the house. Of course, you were looking very comfortable..." he said, glancing at Ginny.  
  
"Ron..." Ginny said warningly.  
  
"What? I was just going to say that a bloke can sleep pretty well with a comfortable blanket like that... especially when it's charmed with a nice warming spell... and tucked around him so carefully..." Ron said with a grin.  
  
Harry noticed Ginny looking a little embarrassed and decided to change the subject. "Any news?"  
  
Tonks had been smiling during the exchange, but her face fell grimly. "Unfortunately, not much. We're still not certain how they were able to ambush everyone at once. We had hoped this would be a safe place for you, Harry, but unfortunately they proved us wrong."  
  
Harry felt a chill, as he wondered if that meant what he suspected it meant.  
  
Tonks watched him carefully. "I can see you're way ahead of me, Harry. We need to move everyone to Grimmauld Place for now. It's the safest place for everyone. Believe me, we're all aware that it's a difficult place for you so soon after Sirius's death, but it needs to be done."  
  
Harry nodded. "I understand. I'll be all right; it's better that we don't put more people in danger than we have to, just to protect me."  
  
Tonks waved her hand. "Don't worry about that, Harry. Anyway, we'll probably head over a bit later after everyone is packed."  
  
Just then, Pigwidgeon flew through the window and dropped a note in front of Ron, who opened it up. "It's Hermione," he said, as he quickly read the note.  
  
Ron grinned as he reached the end. "She says, 'they're probably going to send you to Grimmauld Place. Harry is going to need his friends, so I'm heading over to the Burrow on the Knight Bus as soon as possible. Don't you dare leave without me!' "  
  
Tonks chuckled. "I think we can wait," she said.  
  
Harry smiled, glad that they were all going to be together, although feeling a bit guilty for interrupting Hermione's holiday with her parents.  
  
A few hours later, Harry had his things packed back up, although he hadn't really had a chance to unpack. He had also spent some time polishing some scratches out of the Firebolt, which had taken some hits from all the action.  
  
Harry had just set down his Firebolt when he heard a car pull up to the Burrow. He ran downstairs, suspecting that Hermione had arrived.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione said in a high-pitched voice, running out off the bus to embrace him tightly. "Are you all right? Ron wrote about what happened... but I didn't get too many details... Goblins! How did you escape? I'm glad everyone is all right, too..."  
  
Harry grinned through the bushy brown hair. "Hello, Hermione, I'm fine... everything is fine."  
  
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione, running over to embrace him as well. "I'm so glad you're all right, too..."  
  
"Erm, well, everything is great... bit of bad business, there..." Ron said awkwardly, patting her back.  
  
Hermione finally released him and gave Ginny a hug as well. "Hi, Hermione... you missed all the fun," Ginny said, grinning.  
  
"Now, what happened, Harry?" she said, with greetings over with.  
  
Harry gave her a short description of the events of the previous night. "I really want to start brushing up on goblin magic when we get back to Hogwarts," he said fervently.  
  
"Yes, I agree. I've read a bit about goblin magic, but honestly, not too much about the defense. I suppose we should have anticipated this after Ragnok's warning the first time," Hermione said sadly.  
  
That afternoon, they prepared to leave the Burrow for Grimmauld Place. The four teenagers gathered in the living room as Tonks Apparated back in. Hedwig and Pigwidgeon chattered noisily in their cages, apparently excited to be going. Crookshanks was sticking close to Hermione, as if he was afraid to be left behind.  
  
"How are we getting there?" Harry asked Tonks.  
  
"Special Portkey. Dumbledore was able to get one authorized for us, fortunately. That'll make this whole business a lot easier. The Professor sends his regards, by the way. Said to specifically tell you, 'good show,' " she said, grinning.  
  
Harry began to grow apprehensive as the reality of going to Grimmauld Place began to settle in. He wasn't certain he was really ready to go back there yet, but forces beyond his control seem to be pushing him there. He suddenly felt a soft hand on his shoulder.  
  
Ginny whispered in his ear. "It's all right, Harry. Remember, you're not alone," she said.  
  
Her words back at the end of the summer came back to him, as he remembered her comforting him after his nightmare. It did help to have his friends with him; he needed to remember that. He smiled at her and nodded.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley walked into the room carrying trunks with them, as well as a couple of boxes. "I think we're all ready, Tonks," said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Right. I have the Portkey right here," she said, pulling out a small wooden box, but dropping it to the floor clumsily. "Oops, sorry," she said sheepishly as she picked it up.  
  
Everyone reached out and touched the Portkey at the same time as Harry felt the hooking sensation behind his navel. The world shifted, and he found himself in the hallway of Grimmauld Place.  
  
His breathing started to grow heavy as he noticed Lupin waiting for him, who looked a bit younger than usual wearing some nicer robes. Very happy for the distraction, he ran over and embraced him. "Hello, Remus," he said.  
  
"Harry! It's great to see you," he said, obviously pleased as he embraced Harry back warmly. "And welcome to everyone else."  
  
They all greeted Lupin as they filed into the main room of the house.  
  
"I've got the bedrooms ready; same sleeping arrangements as last time," he said.  
  
Harry looked around the room. "Er, where's Kreacher?" he asked Lupin.  
  
"He just sits in the attic these days, mumbling to himself. He never comes out. I drop off some food for him, but he hardly eats," Lupin said.  
  
Harry frowned. "Better treatment than he deserves," he said.  
  
Lupin looked at him compassionately. "Kreacher is what he is, Harry. But let's not talk about that now. Let's get you all settled in."  
  
The house appeared to be in even better condition than last year; apparently Lupin had been slowly removing the last remnants of the old house. Harry could see an undecorated tree set up in the living room, giving a festive air to the house.  
  
As the afternoon wore on, Harry felt himself growing more and more agitated being in the house. Everywhere he looked, something seemed to remind him of Sirius. He glumly poked at his food through dinner, noticing that everyone sending him worried looks periodically.  
  
Later that night, Harry was playing chess with Ron in the living room. Ron had just beaten him, but Harry found it difficult to care very much.  
  
Ron gave a huge yawn. "Well, mate, I think I'm heading to bed. It's been a bloody long day," he said.  
  
Hermione looked over and closed her book. "I think I will, too. Pigwidgeon woke me up pretty early," she said, smiling. "How about you, Harry?"  
  
Harry was feeling much too nervous and jumpy to sleep yet. "I might stay up and read or something. I'm not quite ready yet," he said.  
  
"Where's Ginny, by the way?" Hermione asked.  
  
Ron shrugged. "She was looking around, last I saw her."  
  
Ron and Hermione headed up the stairs to bed. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, as well as Lupin had already gone up to bed a while ago, leaving Harry alone in the room. He stared at the fire, memories of Sirius filling his head.  
  
Some time later, he heard footsteps, and Ginny walked in, carrying a book.  
  
"Harry?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"Hi, Ginny," he said quietly.  
  
"How are you doing?" she asked.  
  
Harry looked at her and shrugged. That seemed to be enough of an answer for her as she walked over with the book, looking very hesitant.  
  
"Um, Harry... I found something... in this book. Er, I don't know," she said, looking like she was sorry she had brought it up.  
  
"What?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"Well, I was just thinking... that since you're here, you might have nightmares... and I found this book... and it has a folk remedy for them," she said, biting her lip.  
  
Harry hadn't thought that far ahead, but the environment did seem right for breeding nightmares. He hadn't had any lately, and he certainly didn't want to start having them again. _Why is Ginny so nervous about this? _he thought.  
  
He smiled at her. "That's really nice of you to find that, Ginny," he said. "It might not be a bad idea."  
  
"Well... the remedy is a bit unusual..." she said, trailing off.  
  
Harry was getting very curious about why she appeared so reluctant. "What's unusual about it?"  
  
"All right," she said, seeming to make a decision to spill the beans. "The book says that the remedy is really effective and doesn't require any dreamless sleep potions, which can mess up your sleep cycles."  
  
"Sounds good so far," Harry said.  
  
Ginny hesitated once again. "It... needs two people," she said.  
  
"And?" Harry said.  
  
"The way it works is that if you have a nightmare... it triggers the spell, your dream ends, and you get some of the other person's dream to replace it," Ginny said.  
  
"That sounds pretty straightforward," Harry said. "What's the problem?"  
  
"It says there are no side effects or anything. It only says, well, that the two people should be 'very good friends,' as it puts it," Ginny said, looking very bashful. "It didn't really go into details. I guess I didn't know if you thought... if it would work with... you and me."  
  
Harry smiled at her. "Of course we're very good friends. It should work fantastically, if that's all that's required." Ginny looked up and smiled back at him, looking very pleased.  
  
"How do we do it?" Harry said, the whole idea of a protection against nightmares sounding very attractive.  
  
"Well, we hold our left hands, touch our wands with our right hands, and then both say the incantation at the same time," she said. "It might be easier to do this sitting on the floor."  
  
"All right, let's try it," Harry said, glancing at the book to see the right words.  
  
They pulled out their wands and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of each other. They held each other's left hand, and put their wands together, crossing their bodies.  
  
"On three?" Harry said. "One... two... three!"  
  
"_Annecto Somnium!_" they said together.  
  
Harry felt himself momentarily floating in a fog... _Where am I? _he thought. Then he heard a strange voice. _Harry? _It was Ginny's voice... _Ginny? Are you here?_  
  
Suddenly he was back on the floor with Ginny, who looked like she had been in the same fog as he had.  
  
"Well, that was odd... did you hear that?" Harry asked.  
  
"Did you call out?"  
  
"Yeah... I guess you must have heard it, but I didn't think I spoke out loud," Harry said curiously.  
  
"I don't think you did. It must have been a side effect of the spell," she said. "Maybe our thoughts were connected for a second? Weird," she said.  
  
"I suppose if it connects dreams, it must connect our minds in some way," Harry said. "Does this mean, if it happens, we... share the same dream?"  
  
"I don't know; the book is very vague on the details," Ginny said. "Well, hopefully we won't even need the spell," she said.  
  
"Yeah," Harry replied. "But it's good to know that I have a bit of insurance. Thanks for finding that spell, Ginny. It was very nice of you."  
  
Ginny smiled at him. "Well, shall we go up now? It's getting pretty late."  
  
Harry nodded. "Yeah. See you in the morning, right?"  
  
"Pleasant dreams, Harry," Ginny said, grinning. "And if they aren't, be prepared for a lot of dreams about taking OWL tests."  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: You just know this was a bad idea, don't you? :)_  
  
_Even more thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	18. Chapter 17 Ginny's Dream

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 17: Ginny's Dream_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
_Harry walked down an odd, dark corridor, the high walls at strange angles relative to the floor, almost seeming to curve claustrophobically over his head. Angry looking portraits lined the walls, causing him to feel fearful as they gave him strange leers, some even calling out to him._  
  
_"Why are you here?" said one. "This is a sacred place."_  
  
_"You do not belong here," said another sternly._  
  
_Harry continued walking slowly, the words making him flinch. He wasn't certain why he was there, but he knew he needed to move forward, ever forward. To go backward was out of the question._  
  
_He passed an enormous portrait, with curtains in front. Suddenly the curtains snapped open, revealing Mrs. Black. She screeched loudly, causing pain to flair in Harry's ears._  
  
_"Mudbloods! Half-bloods! Muggles! They're all the same! Kill them all... String them up with the rest of the traitors!" she screamed. "You! Boy! What are you doing in my house? Did you come to kill more of my family?" _  
  
_Harry felt extremely angry. He suddenly realized he was holding the knife that Sirius had given him, the knife that had melted in the Department of Mysteries._  
  
_"Filthy boy! Dirty half-blood! You soil my house... my house! The sacred house of the Blacks... how dare you despoil it, when you killed the last of them! Did you kill him just so you could inherit my house? Did you kill him for our money?"_  
  
_Harry screamed in anger, a primal noise. He lifted the knife in both hands and plunged it into the painting. Mrs. Black shrieked as blood poured out of the painting, drenching Harry. Still he continued cutting the painting, pushing his way into it. He finally broke through, entering a chamber – the death chamber. He saw the ragged curtains of the arch... he felt a strange attraction to it... maybe he could enter it and find Sirius..._  
  
_Abruptly Harry felt an extremely odd shift, the world seeming to spin around on a bizarre axis. He flew through a tunnel, lights flying past him as went on a long journey..._  
  
_He dropped onto the ground. He smelled grass under his nose, and then noticed he was in a very pleasant forest. Sunlight was streaming through the trees, and he thought he could hear a babbling brook nearby. He felt extremely confused; in fact, he felt confused that he was even aware of feeling confused._  
  
_Am I dreaming? he thought vaguely, before even that thought left him as he got up from the grass. The brook sounded nice, so he headed in that direction. The sun was warm... so warm in this place. He recalled having been somewhere else recently, but the memory of that place was fading quickly, and somehow he knew that was good, although he wasn't certain why._  
  
_He heard wonderful singing ahead. He smiled, enjoying the sound of the music. He crept up, wondering who was there. Peeking around a tree, he saw a girl with long, red hair bathing in the brook. He felt extremely shy, and turned away, just listening to her sing._  
  
_He heard her exiting the brook with a small splash, feeling tempted to look, but resisting. One must be chivalrous about these things. 'Chivalrous?' he thought dimly. When do I ever use that word? The thought left him as he continued listening. He reckoned she was getting dressed, as he heard the rustle of material._  
  
_When he thought it was safe, he peeked around the tree again. The girl with the long, red hair was dressed in a rose-colored, flowing gown. Her delicate, fair-skinned shoulders were visible, framing her graceful neck. Harry was enraptured looking at the incredibly beautiful lady that was before him._  
  
_He strode confidently from his hiding spot. "Fair lady," he said. "May I introduce myself? I am Harry, Prince of a neighboring realm, and a knight errant." Harry bowed deeply to her._  
  
_"Good sir, I am Princess Ginevra, daughter of King Arthur," she said, curtsying. She gave him a sly look. "You wouldn't spy on a princess such as myself, now would you?"_  
  
_Harry looked scandalized. "Never, your highness!"_  
  
_Another thought forced itself into Harry... am I dreaming? This is a really odd dream, he thought, as his consciousness faded away again..._  
  
_"Well, then you may escort me through the forest, if you like," she said, giving him a warm smile._  
  
_She held out her hand, and Harry walked up and dropped to one knee. He took her hand in both of his hands, kissing it, and rose back to his feet fluidly. "It would be a great honor to escort such a lovely princess as yourself."_  
  
_She lightly took Harry's arm as they began walking through the forest._  
  
_"Such a beautiful place this is, my Princess," Harry said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye._  
  
_"It is indeed. I must confess, however... I feel much safer with a brave knight like yourself escorting me. One never knows what is in these forests..." she said, smiling coyly._  
  
_"It would be the honor of a lifetime to defend you from any evil, my Princess," Harry said valiantly._  
  
_Harry again had a fuzzy feeling, something about this world felt foreign to him..._  
  
_"A man like yourself seems most capable, good sir," she said. "I'm certain you could vanquish any evil most handily."_  
  
_"You are too generous in your praise of my humble talents. However, if the need arose, I would do my very best to protect you. If my death would enable you to live, then I would gladly make the sacrifice, for such rare beauty cannot be allowed to be extinguished by the mere wickedness of the world," Harry said sincerely._  
  
_"You flatter me, good sir, but I must say it would be a shame indeed to sacrifice such a handsome face. Promise me that you shall not die today?" she said, smiling._  
  
_"I would be most happy to make you that promise, for I cannot imagine that the world could be so cruel as to take my life on the very day that I meet such a vision of splendor," Harry said._  
  
_"Your silver-tongued words beg me to believe, but how may I trust your sincerity?" Ginny said, tilting her head provocatively. _  
  
_"Your loveliness demands only truth be spoken. Can there exist such a rogue that could lie to so perfect a face? Your hair is like a fire that could consume a man's soul, yet I would gladly allow mine to be consumed if I could have the merest touch," Harry said, as he strode confidently along the path._  
  
_Ginny laughed musically as she reached up and took a lock of her hair in her hand flirtatiously. "Well, good sir, I'd best keep my hair to myself. It would disappoint me greatly to have your soul consumed so soon after meeting such a bold and charming gentleman as yourself."_  
  
_"And yet, I would gladly take the risk, for the reward is beyond any riches a man could endeavor to acquire in a long lifetime," Harry said._  
  
_The words seemed to flow so easily from Harry's mouth, as if they were coming from some place other than himself. He marveled a bit at his smooth delivery as his thoughts floated away again..._  
  
_They walked into a clearing, and Ginny broke into a run, laughing. "If you can catch me, perhaps I will allow a touch," she called over her shoulder, her fiery red hair flowing behind her in the wind._  
  
_Harry immediately gave chase, laughing. "The mere possibility of such a gift torments my poor spirit."_  
  
_Ginny laughed as she ran into a bank of trees, Harry following closely. She ducked behind a tree, keeping it between herself and Harry. "You must earn your gift, gallant sir," she said teasingly._  
  
_Harry saw her run away from the tree and enter another glade. Suddenly he heard a loud scream, and he ran quickly after her. Breaking out into a large grassy knoll, he saw that Ginny had fallen in front of a huge dragon that was looking at her hungrily. She screamed again._  
  
_Without thinking, Harry pulled a huge sword from a scabbard on his belt. A part of himself wondered distantly exactly when he got the sword before his conscious mind left him again. The broadsword felt feather light in his hands as he swung it through the air. He ran into the knoll, standing between Ginny and the dragon._  
  
_"Go! Hurry, get up and go!" he exhorted her. Ginny got up and ran away. Harry turned his attention back to the dragon, who looked very angry at losing his prey. The dragon opened his mouth, preparing to send a blast of fire. Harry waiting a split second for the dragon to commit itself, then stepped quickly to the side as a blast of fire burned the ground where he had been standing._  
  
_He ran up to the dragon and with a mighty stroke, he cut off the head, causing it to fall with a huge thud next to him. The body seemed to continue walking for a few seconds before it, too, fell to the ground with a mighty crash._  
  
_Harry swung the sword in one hand in a huge arc before he returned it to his scabbard with a flourish. He looked back and saw Ginny peeking through the trees at him, her face frightened, but giving him a look of awe. Harry swelled with pride at her attentions._  
  
_"My brave knight!" she called, running back and embracing him tightly. "You saved me from a horrible fate."_  
  
_"There, there, my Princess," Harry said, embracing her back. 'Twas nothing. I gave you my word that I would defend you, and what sort of knight would I be if I did not keep my word?"_  
  
_Harry whistled, and a white horse suddenly appeared in the meadow._  
  
_"You have had a terrible fright," Harry said. "May I have the honor of taking you back to your castle?"_  
  
_"Please, my brave sir," she said, looking up trustingly with her beautiful brown eyes. "I give myself into your care."_  
  
_Harry lifted her effortlessly onto the back of the horse, then climbed up himself. Ginny wrapped her arms around him as she sat side-saddle behind him. Seeing a castle off in the distance, they galloped off over the grassy field away from the slain dragon. He could feel Ginny sitting closely behind him; her body feeling warm against his._  
  
_I must be dreaming, he thought hazily. Again, the whole thing felt oddly exotic to him, as if he wasn't quite in his own body. The rational thoughts faded out once again..._  
  
_They reached the castle, Harry dismounting from the horse with a graceful leap. Harry held out his arms and Ginny slid off the horse, Harry catching her and gently placing her on the ground._  
  
_"Thank you so much, my brave and noble knight," she said, looking at him with a sultry gaze. "I must admit... I still feel a bit ill at ease. Would you be kind enough to escort me inside? It would mean so much to me."_  
  
_"It would be a great privilege, my Princess. My mind will never be at ease until I am certain that you are safe," Harry said._  
  
_Ginny took his arm again as they walked across a large drawbridge and entered the castle. It had a beautifully rich interior, with fine rugs on the floor and walls. Ginny led Harry to a sitting room off the main hall, furnished with fine furniture._  
  
_"Your castle matches your own loveliness, I must say," Harry said gallantly._  
  
_"Thank you, good sir," she said, giving him a warm smile. "Perhaps some music to ease our minds a bit?"_  
  
_She walked over and touched her wand to a box, which started playing a familiar waltz. Harry dimly recognized it as the Sleeping Beauty waltz..._  
  
_Ginny held out her hand. "Dance with me?" she said._  
  
_Harry bowed to her as he took her hand. He had another odd feeling as his feet seemed to move in strange, elegant ways that felt utterly bizarre to him while he waltzed with Ginny. Wait, he thought... something about... a dream spell...The recollection faded as he lost himself in the music and dancing with Ginny, spinning about the room gracefully._  
  
_Ginny's head rested on his shoulder as he heard the lyrics to the waltz being sung from the music box..._  
  
_I know you  
I walked with you once upon a dream.  
I know you  
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam  
And I know it's true  
that visions are seldom all they seem  
But if I know you, I know what you'll do  
You'll love me at once  
the way you did once upon a dream_  
  
_As the song ended, Ginny looked up at Harry, her eyes giving him all the permission he needed. He leaned down and kissed her. Her arms slipped around his shoulders as he could feel a heated passion building between them as the kissing deepened... her body felt incredibly soft against his as his arms held her strongly... Harry felt her hands roaming fervently over his back ..._  
  
_He suddenly reached down and swept her into his arms. She began kissing his neck as he boldly carried her across the room, somehow knowing where to go. There were a pair of double doors at the end. Harry raised his foot and kicked the doors open as he could hear Ginny's breath catch._  
  
_"Oh, Prince Harry..." she said breathlessly._  
  
_They entered a large bedroom, with a beautiful white four-poster bed. Harry carried her and gently placed her down on the soft comforter. Ginny looked up at him ardently as he gazed down at her. He took off his scabbard and sword with a flourish, watching Ginny's chest rise and fall from her breathing. She looked incredibly beautiful with her red hair splayed over the pillow..._  
  
_Harry sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss her again, Ginny meeting him eagerly as they kissed passionately... He could feel the fingers of her hand stroking his chest, underneath his suddenly unbuttoned shirt...His fingers slipped underneath the back of her dress, feeling her very soft skin ..._  
  
_Wait, Harry thought vaguely... I remember now... a nightmare spell... OH NO...  Is this Ginny's dream? IS GINNY SEEING THIS!? Wake up wake up wake up WAKE UP I NEED TO WAKE UP..._  
  
* * *  
  
Ginny's eyes snapped open as she awoke. She sat straight up in her bed, looking around the room in shock, as morning daylight streamed through the windows. Her hands suddenly clutched her head in horror.  
  
"Oh, God!" she cried, with a bit of a shriek.  
  
Hermione suddenly sat up as well, looking panicked. "What? What happened? Is everyone all right?" she asked anxiously.  
  
Ginny buried her face in her hands. "Please, Hermione. Just kill me now. Pull out your wand and make it a quick death."  
  
"What!?" Hermione asked.  
  
Ginny shook her head, unable to talk. Hermione got out of bed and went to Ginny's bed, sitting on the edge next to her. "Did you have a nightmare?" Hermione asked, concerned.  
  
Ginny looked up and laughed bitterly. "In a manner of speaking."  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked.  
  
Ginny rubbed the bridge of her nose as she looked over the fingertips. "It wasn't... _that _kind of nightmare. Not about the Chamber," she said.  
  
"What then?"  
  
Ginny paused for a long time. "All right." She looked around the room, as if there might be someone listening in. "Hermione, I made a big mistake. A horrible, horrible, awful mistake yesterday."  
  
"It can't be that bad," Hermione said consolingly.  
  
"Oh, trust me, it was bad," Ginny said, nodding her head.  
  
"Go on..." Hermione said.  
  
"I, er, wondered if Harry might have nightmares, you know, staying here at the house," she started.  
  
"Sounds reasonable so far," Hermione said.  
  
"I found a spell in a book, a nightmare remedy..." she said, trailing off, looking at Hermione out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"And... and... it worked," Ginny said.  
  
"How do you know?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Because I saw it work," Ginny said.  
  
Suddenly Hermione's jaw dropped and she looked at Ginny with a look of alarm. "Er, what was the spell you used?" she asked slowly.  
  
"It was Annecto Somnium," said Ginny miserably.  
  
Hermione eyes widened. "Oh, Ginny... that one... it joins your subconscious to his! Did you read about the side effects?"  
  
"Well, it just said that the two should be very good friends..." she trailed off.  
  
"Yes, because it causes you to dream _about_ the other person! And Harry would have seen your dream!" Hermione said.  
  
"I thought it meant that we had to be good friends to get it to work," Ginny said, her eyes tearing up a bit.  
  
"Erm... Ginny... It wasn't that bad... was it?" Hermione said in a small voice.  
  
Ginny looked like she wanted to crawl under the bed and disappear. "Oh, Hermione... it was awful. It was so embarrassing."  
  
"Don't feel like you have to tell me... but... can I ask...?"  
  
Ginny gave a long pause and turned beet red. "God, Hermione, I was a princess! And... and... Harry was a prince! And he saved me from a huge dragon... and he slew it with this big sword... he took me to a big castle on a white horse...."  
  
Hermione gave a small snicker before she screwed her face back into a serious, consoling expression.  
  
"It's not funny!" Ginny said angrily. "How can I face him ever again? It was so bad, Hermione. It was just like these fairy tales I used to read, mixed with some sappy romance novel. I've tried so hard to make him see me as a normal person. And I just threw everything out the window. He'll think I'm a silly little girl!"  
  
"Ginny," Hermione said comfortingly. "If you're this mortified, Harry is at least ten times as much. He'll never say a word about it. He won't think it through that far. It's just an embarrassing dream to him."  
  
"Do you really think so?" Ginny said, looking desperate to be convinced.  
  
"Come on, Ginny. You know Harry. What's he going to do, sit down and psychoanalyze it with you?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Suddenly she stopped and looked at Ginny suspiciously. "Unless there's a bit more to this than you're telling me..."  
  
Hermione's eyes grew very wide. "You and he didn't... er... you know... in the dream, did you?"  
  
"No!" Ginny said loudly. She then bit her lip and paused, looking very bashful. "No. But..." she held up her hand with thumb and index finger close together. "it was close. I think that's what caused us to wake up. It was a very odd dream, really vivid. Sometimes I could even think sort-of lucidly..."  
  
"Yes," Hermione said knowledgeably. "since you have two brains creating the images, the dream tends to be extremely detailed."  
  
Ginny nodded. "Anyway, we kissed a bit... well, a lot... and then... Harry was... er, carrying me into this bedroom in the castle..." Ginny was blushing again profusely. "and then I realized what was happening, and the fact that Harry might be seeing it, too... and fought myself awake."  
  
"Well, thank Merlin for that," Hermione said, relieved, and then giggled. "Then I might have had to kill you."  
  
Ginny gave her a sour look, but then giggled a bit herself.  
  
Hermione got a mischievous look on her face as she smirked a bit at Ginny. "So... other than it was a terrible, horrible nightmare... how was the dream?"  
  
Ginny looked aggravated for a second, but then a laugh finally forced itself out of her as she looked down at the bed. She said in a low voice, "It was the best dream I've ever had in my life," she said, with a small smile. She then looked up and said with a glare, "But don't you dare tell Harry that!"  
  
Hermione started laughing loudly, and after a few seconds Ginny joined in despite herself. The laughter broke away the rest of the tension as Ginny gave a heavy sigh.  
  
"Oh, it'll be all right, Ginny. You'll probably both have a good laugh about it someday," Hermione said. "Why don't we go down and get some breakfast."  
  
"I'll be down in a few minutes. I just need to pull myself together for a little bit," Ginny said.  
  
"All right," Hermione said, giving her an encouraging look as she pulled on some clothes. "I'll see you downstairs."  
  
"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny said gratefully. "I'll be okay."  
  
Hermione smiled encouragingly as she walked out of the room, closing the door and leaving Ginny by herself. She moved over to the window, sighing again as she looked out at the gray morning clouds. _Hermione is right, _she thought. _Harry will never say a word about it. _Somehow that didn't help when she knew that Harry knew they had both experienced it.  
  
She slowly dressed, trying to delay the inevitable meeting with Harry. She had no clue what she could possibly say to him after that dream. _Just act normal, _she thought. _Maybe if I act as if nothing happened, Harry will think that I didn't really see it._  
  
Ginny nodded vigorously to herself. _Yes, that's it, _she thought. _This never, ever happened_.  
  
She pasted a somewhat usual look on her face as she went to the door and took a deep breath. _Normal, _she thought. _You did not just have a fairy tale dream of Harry._  
  
She opened the door and tried to act confident as she walked down the stairs. She spied Ron sitting in the living room reading a magazine, apparently waiting for breakfast.  
  
"Good morning, Ron!" Ginny said, her voice a little too bright and high pitched.  
  
"'Morning," Ron grunted. "Watch out for Harry. He seems really odd this morning."  
  
"Er, odd?" Ginny said carefully.  
  
"Yeah. I dunno what was wrong with him. Guess he had a nightmare or something, because he just sat up in bed with this weird look," Ron said. "But it doesn't usually affect him as much as this one seemed to. He hardly said a word. He looked like he didn't even want to leave the room."  
  
"Where is he?" Ginny asked, wondering if it was too late to hide back in her room again.  
  
"He's in the kitchen. He really wanted to help Mum, for some reason," Ron said, shrugging.  
  
Ginny sat down on a sofa, nibbling on her fingernails, feeling afraid to go in the kitchen as Ron went back to reading his magazine. She had resolved to herself to pretend nothing had happened, but she felt her control slipping away.  
  
She was just considering whether she should try and make a run for it when Mrs. Weasley called out from the kitchen. "Breakfast is ready!"  
  
Ron put down his magazine and headed to the kitchen enthusiastically. Ginny followed him, moving very slowly, feeling like she was walking to the gallows.  
  
She entered the kitchen, seeing Harry sitting at the table, carefully looking down at his breakfast. Also seated around the table were Mr. Weasley, Lupin and Hermione. Ginny gave as standard a greeting as she could muster to everyone, including Harry, as she took her place at the table.  
  
She saw Harry glance up, blinking at her, before looking back down, apparently wondering if she was affected by last night's events. She tried to think of something to say, but somehow nothing came to mind with Harry sitting in front of her. Images from the vivid dream kept coming back. _Harry really looked good with that sword, _she thought, before she angrily pushed the thought out of her head.  
  
The others chatted as she and Harry ate silently, her plan seeming to come apart at the seams. Fortunately, no one appeared to notice the tension between them, although Mrs. Weasley shot Harry a few worried looks, apparently thinking that his mood was because of being at Grimmauld Place. _And that probably does have something  to do with his mood, _she thought.  
  
Suddenly a tinge of guilt rose up in her. _Great Merlin, _she thought, _how selfish am I? _In all her worry about the dream, she had forgotten the reason they had done the dream spell in the first place, and that made her feel even more awful. She had meant to try and ease Harry's pain a bit and ended up making everything worse. _He doesn't need more problems, _she thought.  
  
Angry with herself, she looked boldly at Harry until he looked up. She smiled at him, a regular smile, until he smiled back shyly. They seemed to exchange some unspoken words, and Harry gave a small sigh, looking a bit steadier.  
  
Seeing him feeling a little better helped her to feel better. It still wasn't all right, but a lot of the tension between them leaked away. Harry was even looking around the table a little bit instead of keeping his eyes locked on his breakfast.  
  
"How about after breakfast, you children decorate the tree?" said Mrs. Weasley. "I brought over our decorations."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea!" said Hermione, apparently trying to lighten to mood.  
  
"All right, that will be fun," said Ginny. Maybe a bit of decorating would help restore some normality between them.  
  
After breakfast, the four went into the living room where the tree was set up, along with several boxes of decorations. Harry still hadn't said a word all morning, but he came in dutifully with everyone, looking as though he really wanted to find a place to hide. Ginny still felt embarrassed herself, but was determined not to make Harry more uncomfortable in the house.  
  
Ginny carried out a box of paper and glue that her mother had brought for garlands. "Here, Ron, why don't you start making paper chains," she said, handing the box to Ron.  
  
"All right," Ron said, plopping down on a sofa.  
  
"Why don't I help you, Ron?" Hermione said, sitting down next to him.  
  
Harry and Ginny glanced at each other and then at the boxes of ornaments that needed to be added to the tree. Ginny sighed as she realized what Hermione was up to – they would be hanging the ornaments together.  
  
Ginny tried desperately to put a natural expression on her face as she opened up the box of ornaments. She pulled out a glass bulb out and walked over to hang it on the tree. Harry waited for her to finish as he moved over to get an ornament as well.  
  
"Ron! You're not doing it right!" Hermione said authoritatively.  
  
Harry sneaked a look at Ginny before turning away, grinning, trying to hide the expression from Hermione.  
  
"What?" Ron said peevishly. "How the bloody hell can I do it wrong?"  
  
"Watch your language, Ron," Hermione said primly.  
  
"So what am I doing wrong?"  
  
"You're putting on too much glue. You need to do it _carefully,_" Hermione said.  
  
Ron looked at her incredulously. "What difference does it make?"  
  
"If you put on too much glue, it slops over the side. The rings might stick together," Hermione said.  
  
"Did you read this in a book somewhere?" Ron said, annoyed.  
  
"No, it's common sense!" Hermione said, growing heated.  
  
"Well, my way is easier. Who cares if the rings stick a bit?" Ron said, putting a large glob of glue on a strip of paper.  
  
"It will look nicer. Then you won't have glue all over the rings," Hermione said, carefully putting a small amount of glue perfectly placed in the center on the end of the strip.  
  
"Barking mad," Ron mumbled under his breath.  
  
Ginny was trying desperately not to break out in laughter at the two of them. She picked up another ornament as she and Harry continued placing them on the tree. Listening to Ron and Hermione go on about paper chains had distracted her from Harry, but as a silence descended on the room, she could feel some tension between them.  
  
The continued pulling ornaments out, Harry seeming to try and avoid hanging them in the same area as Ginny.  
  
Ginny, feeling distracted, reached into the box and pulled out a doll ornament. She was carrying it to the tree when she suddenly realized what she had. She stopped and looked at it wide-eyed as a betraying blush formed on her face.  
  
She was holding a princess doll. She suddenly remembered that they had a set of Sleeping Beauty tree ornaments.  
  
Harry was moving back from the tree to the box when he halted, blinking at what Ginny was holding. They looked at each other; Harry appearing intensely embarrassed as he abruptly looked away. Ginny felt mortified at the painful reminder in her hand.  
  
Ginny forced herself to walk to the tree to hang the ornament. They went back to hanging ornaments, the tension growing palpable.  
  
She was moving back to the box when she noticed Harry stop with an ornament in his hand. He glanced at her, then quickly away, looking like he wanted to throw the ornament back in the box. Ginny looked down at what he was holding... it was the matching prince ornament to the princess.  
  
Harry's hand shook a bit as he sighed resignedly and walked to the tree to hang it, as Ginny felt even more embarrassed, if such a thing was possible. _This is going to kill me, _she thought. _There is no way I'll survive this day._  
  
They went back to hanging ornaments, carefully avoiding the other's glance. She could see Hermione out of the corner of her eye looking worriedly at them.  
  
Ginny pulled another ornament out of the box and felt another blush rising from her cheeks. It was a fairy castle ornament. She had a sudden urge to violently fling it away, but managed to control herself. Just when she was about to force herself to hang the ornament on the tree, she heard an odd sound, one that she couldn't identify at first. She suddenly realized with shock what the sound was: Harry had made a tiny snickering sound.  
  
Ginny looked at Harry incredulously. _Did he just laugh at the most embarrassing moment of my life? _she thought. Ginny glared dangerously at Harry, causing him to look down with a small smile while he walked over to the box.  
  
She hung the ornament on the tree, her anger with Harry nicely replacing the embarrassment she had been feeling. She was walking back to the box when she saw Harry pull out another ornament... a white horse, which made him blush in embarrassment again. Ginny felt powerless as a snort of laughter escaped. Harry glared back at her, but finally chuckled a bit himself.  
  
Ron looked at the two of them. "What's so funny?" he asked curiously.  
  
Harry and Ginny looked at each other. "Nothing!" they said together.  
  
Ron shrugged as he went back to his paper chain.  
  
They hung a few more ornaments until Ginny pulled out a dragon ornament that had belonged to Charlie. This time she held it up to Harry and they both gave a laugh that they tried to stifle, causing Ron to give them another fishy eye.  
  
As they continued hanging ornaments, Ginny and Harry exchanged a few more glances, giggles seeming to escape of their own accord. She was hanging one of the last ornaments on the tree, opposite from Ron and Hermione, as Harry walked around next to her, blushing furiously.  
  
"Um, no room left on the other side," he mumbled. He looked like he was trying to hide the ornament as he looked to find a place to hang it on the crowded tree.  
  
Ginny pointed to a spot near her. "It can go there..."  
  
Harry hesitated, but finally hung the ornament... a four-poster Sleeping Beauty princess bed. Ginny felt herself blushing deeply as the bed seemed to trigger the whole thing to finally burst out of her.  
  
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry about what happened," Ginny whispered to him, looking like she wanted to cry again.  
  
Harry looked startled, like he didn't expect her to say anything that overt. "It's... it's all right," he whispered back.  
  
There was a long pause, and then Harry spoke again. "And... it _was _better than the nightmare, that's for sure," he said with a small smile.  
  
"I'm not so certain," Ginny said, with a small smile of her own.  
  
"It wasn't _that _bad," Harry said, still in a low voice so that Ron and Hermione couldn't hear them.  
  
"Yes, it was," Ginny said, nodding at him forcefully.  
  
"Well, maybe a little bad," Harry said, snickering. Ginny giggled back at him, the whole thing feeling so awful that laughing seemed her only option.  
  
Harry paused and said "But..."  
  
"But, what?" Ginny said suspiciously.  
  
"It _was_ kind of fun slaying the dragon," Harry said quietly, with a grin.  
  
"Thanks for saving me," Ginny said, quiet giggles bursting out of her uncontrollably.  
  
"I liked the dress," he said, laughing again.  
  
Ginny hit his arm with a playful glare. "You dance pretty well, too," Ginny said, outright laughing now.  
  
"Well, I do when you move my feet," Harry said, trying desperately to keep his voice down. "Wait a minute... how do you know that song anyway? It's from a Muggle movie."  
  
"Well, dad got it for me. You know him, he's always bringing home Muggle stuff. I used to love that song," Ginny said, laughing, but blushing a bit.  
  
"Hey! What's going on back there!" Ron yelled from the sofa.  
  
"Nothing!" Harry and Ginny shouted back, laughing.  
  
"Is everyone going nutters this morning?" he grumbled. "I'm almost done with the garland. Of course, with Hermione's method, she's only half done."  
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged a suppressed laugh as they could almost hear Hermione's glare.  
  
They stood for a minute in silence while they both looked at the tree. Ginny felt a bit relieved that the incident was out in the open, but still very embarrassed. Harry turned to her and gave her a serious look. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, causing a shiver to go down Ginny's spine as he stood very close.  
  
"Seriously... your dream was much nicer than the nightmare," Harry said in her ear.  
  
He backed up a bit, and Ginny felt herself turning to mush as his green eyes looked into hers. "Thank you," he whispered with a very sincere look. Ginny flushed, feeling very pleased.  
  
Harry then hesitantly touched her arm slightly, before pulling his hand back and turning away, apparently embarrassed at opening up so much.  
  
Ginny stood stunned as goose bumps rose from where Harry had touched her. She almost couldn't believe it had really happened; Harry had never touched her deliberately like that in his life.  
  
Although the whole episode still felt incredibly humiliating, suddenly it felt very, very worth it.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: It was fun reading the different theories about where this was going to go in the reviews. There are obviously a lot of interesting ways to go with a shared dream spell; I hope you liked my take on it. Poor Ginny! At least she got a little kissing with Harry, even if it was only a dream. I'll make it up to her later, though. I'm saving up all the good kissing action. :)_  
  
_Thanks as usual to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	19. Chapter 18 Tributes

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 18: Tributes_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry walked alone through the halls of Grimmauld Place, feeling like being by himself for a while. It was quite different from what it was when they had first arrived; when the house had been dusty and dirty from years of neglect. If he were objective, he even had to admit it was a pleasant place now.  
  
But he didn't feel particularly objective at the moment. The walls seemed to whisper to him words of despair, as the reality of Sirius's death was brought home to him. _How could he really be dead? _Harry thought. It almost felt like the house should cease to exist along with Sirius, as if everything in the world tied to him died as well. Yet, the house continued on somehow, a huge vacuum of absence seeming to draw out all the air.  
  
It seemed odd to imagine Sirius as a young boy, wandering through these hallways, running up the stairs, playing with toys like any child. The Sirius he knew had spent so much time at Azkaban that it was difficult to imagine him as anything but the worn, world-weary person that he had known.  
  
He was very grateful to have seen Remus's memory of Sirius, which gave him a better perspective about his earlier life, particularly considering that his only other Pensieve experience of Sirius had been with Snape.  
  
He wandered upstairs, and stopped, looking at a closed door. It was the door to Sirius's bedroom.  
  
He stared at the door for several minutes, feeling an urge to go in and find some remnant of Sirius. He finally reached out and turned the doorknob, pushing the door open gently. The door gave a creak as it swung open. Harry peeked through the door, and finally went in, closing the door behind him.  
  
It was a very large room, apparently the master bedroom of the house. It looked as though it hadn't been disturbed since Sirius's death, since he could see many personal items still around the room. The bed was unmade, and several robes were casually strewn across several chairs. Several pairs of shoes laid at the foot of the bed, along with several pairs of unwashed socks that apparently never made it to the clothes basket. An opened book was set face down on the night table.  
  
It was rather dark in the room, so Harry walked over to the windows and opened up the curtains, allowing gray light to come in from the cloudy sky outside.  
  
The room contained a large four-poster bed, along with several large dressers and a writing desk. Off in the corner was a sitting area containing several large chairs and a sofa, with several well-stocked bookcases.  
  
Harry noticed some items on the desk, so he went over to take a look. He choked up a bit as he noticed that it held several pictures of himself alone, as well as several pictures with Sirius. There were also pictures of his parents, plus one of Sirius, Harry's father and Lupin.  
  
One picture of Harry was taken at Christmas last year; he and Sirius were laughing by the fireplace. Another picture had Harry on his Firebolt during a Quidditch match, and still another was Harry playing chess with Ron, with Hermione reading in the background.  
  
Harry sat down at the desk, contemplating the fact that Sirius had sat in the very chair only months before. What had he been thinking about? He undoubtedly would've been angry about being confined to Grimmauld Place.  
  
He opened up a desk drawer, seeing various quills, ink bottles and some blank writing parchment. He closed the drawer, and opened another one, and noticed a letter in Sirius's handwriting. His heart sank as he read the partially written letter.  
  
_Dear Harry,_  
  
_We didn't have much time to talk about your father today. I feel like there's so much more that should be said, to make you understand about what he was, and what he became later. Please don't judge him too harshly. He would be the first to tell you that Snape's memory was not his finest hour. We all have incidents in our lives that we wish we could take back, as I'm certain you do._  
  
_James was_  
  
The letter ended there. Harry wondered what Sirius was going to tell him about his father. Or perhaps he couldn't think of what to write, and that's why he stopped? Harry didn't know. He read the first part of the letter again, and tried to appreciate what Sirius was trying to say. Pondering it for several minutes, he folded the letter and put in his pocket.  
  
Harry got up, walked over to the bed and noticed another picture of himself sat on the night table, this time a simple portrait. Harry sat on the bed and picked up the picture, looking at it closely. He idly wondered why Sirius had this picture next to the bed, but he had to admit he was oddly drawn to it as well as the picture-Harry smiled at him. It suddenly struck him what was so odd about the picture; his image looked surprisingly peaceful. He was so used to seeing a stressed self looking back in the mirror that he hardly knew what he looked like at peace anymore.  
  
He put the picture back down and noticed a door across the room. He moved over to the door and opened it up, revealing a rather large walk-in wardrobe. As he entered, some lamps flared into life, illuminating the interior. There were many fine robes hanging on hooks, as well as many muggle-style clothes.  
  
Toward the back, he noticed a number of large boxes. Curious, he walked over and opened up one of the boxes, which contained a large pile of unsorted photographs. Most of the pictures contained people he didn't know, but then he grinned as he saw a picture of Sirius as a young boy. He looked to be about 8 years old as the image made faces at Harry with a goofy grin. Even as a boy, Sirius seemed to radiate a sort of mischievous charm.  
  
Harry continued digging through the pictures, and then stopped as he saw a familiar face: Bellatrix. She looked to be about fifteen, young and beautiful. Harry peered closely at the picture, trying to see the evil that she was to become, but he found her oddly innocent looking. Bellatrix smiled out of the picture, looking almost shy at having her picture taken.  
  
_How does this happen? _he thought. It was as if he were looking at an entirely different person, yet there was no doubt it was her. Was she already corrupted when this picture was taken, or did it come later? Did she conceal her true self beneath a veneer of innocence? The Sorting Hat's words came back to Harry... _anywhere among you, evil can hide._  
  
Harry dropped the picture of Bellatrix into the box, but kept a couple of Sirius. He closed up the box, and opened another one, which contained a large number of handwritten letters and notes. He pulled one out and began reading, a shiver going down his spine when he saw who it was from.  
  
_Padfoot,_  
  
_Snape fell for it! He thinks he's up for a special Potions award. I have to give you credit, that fake letter was brilliant. I think he'll be on his way to Dumbledore's office to pick up the letter of recognition right after class!! Meet me in the hall outside the office; maybe we can catch Snape coming back out._  
  
_Prongs_  
  
Harry ran his fingers over the letter, somehow feeling his father in the words. He picked up the box of letters and carried it out of the wardrobe, and over to the sitting area. He started pulling notes out of the box one at a time. Most of the notes were trivial complaints about various school assignments, but they all felt special to Harry. He was particularly amused by ones from his father complaining about his mother and how she didn't give him the time of day.  
  
Harry also read some amusing letters from Lupin, who occasionally scolded Sirius for various pranks that had gone too far. He felt a chill when he saw a letter from Peter, but there weren't many of those. Harry wasn't certain if Peter just didn't write a lot, or that Sirius didn't keep many of them.  
  
Harry was reading more letters as he came to a particularly interesting one.  
  
_Sirius,_  
  
_I think I've found a place to do the Transformation. I asked the house-elves, and they told me about a place called the Room of Requirement. I've already been there, and it's brilliant! Meet me today at 3 o'clock by the library. I think this will give us all the privacy we need. We're almost there!_  
  
_James_  
  
Harry felt extremely odd, thinking that the place were they held their D.A. meetings was exactly the same place where his father and Sirius had performed the Animagus Transformation for the first time.  
  
Finally Harry was about to put the box away and perhaps read some more letters later when he came to one that made him very curious.  
  
_Padfoot,_  
  
_You need to be more careful! I was sitting with Lily and saw you writing in your diary down the lake. When you got up to talk with those girls, you left it open, and I saw Snape sniffing around. I don't think he saw anything before you came back, but he tried._  
  
_Prongs_  
  
A thrill of excitement ran through Harry as he wondered if the diary still existed. He could read first-hand accounts of Sirius's thoughts about his father and maybe even his mother. He wondered briefly if he should read Sirius's diary even if he found it, but then figured it probably didn't matter anymore.  
  
He began searching the room, starting with the bookshelves. He saw a number of interesting books that he mentally marked to come back and look at, but no sign of the diary. He looked through the desk once again, as well as through the wardrobe. He even looked under the mattress of the bed and behind some pictures on the wall, but still didn't see it.  
  
Feeling a bit depressed, he sat down on the bed, thinking. He wasn't certain why, but his need to see the diary was growing the more he thought about it. It would be an extremely personal link to Sirius, one that he never got a chance to share with him in person.  
  
It occurred to him that maybe Lupin knew where it was. Excited, he jumped off the bed and exited the room to find him. Harry ran down the stairs into the living room, and then into the kitchen, where he saw Lupin preparing a cup of tea.  
  
"Remus!" Harry said breathlessly.  
  
"Harry? What's up?" Lupin said curiously, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Erm," Harry started, feeling a bit shy about mentioning that he'd been searching Sirius's room. "Well, I... looked at Sirius's bedroom."  
  
Lupin nodded. "I thought you might do that, when you were ready. As you may have noticed, I haven't moved anything in there."  
  
Harry felt grateful that Lupin understood. "Yeah... I... found a box of letters from Hogwarts, that my dad, you and Peter wrote to Sirius."  
  
Lupin looked amused. "I'm certain those were entertaining. If your dad wrote down as much as he said verbally, I bet there was a lot of complaining about Lily."  
  
Harry smiled. "Yes, a lot of that."  
  
"So why so fired up to find me?" asked Lupin.  
  
"Well... one of the letters mentioned a diary Sirius used to keep at Hogwarts... I wondered if you knew where it was."  
  
Lupin frowned, searching his memory. "Yes... I remember. He did have a diary that he used to write in. To be honest, Harry, I haven't even thought about that diary since Hogwarts. I'm certain it's around somewhere, but I haven't seen it anywhere here."  
  
"Oh," Harry said, disappointed.  
  
"I suppose you might try the attic..." Lupin said doubtfully. "I can't say that I've gone through every box up there."  
  
A bit of hope came back into Harry, but then felt apprehensive. "Kreacher is up there... isn't he?"  
  
Lupin nodded. "Yes, but like I said before, he keeps to himself. He just mumbles most of the time. I believe that he is quite mad, now."  
  
Harry frowned. "I guess it's worth a try."  
  
Lupin clapped him on the shoulder, then looked at Harry hesitantly. "You know, Harry... I'll quite understand if you don't, but if you ever want to talk about Sirius..." he said, his voice trailing off.  
  
Harry nodded, forcing a smile. Talking about it wasn't something he was ready for yet. "Thanks..." he said.  
  
Lupin nodded and smiled gently, as he seemed to understand Harry's frame of mind. "I understand perfectly, Harry."  
  
Harry walked out of the kitchen and saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny through the open doorway into the living room. He was tempted to fetch someone to come up with him to the attic and help him deal with Kreacher, but he just didn't feel up to sharing the question of the diary yet.  
  
He slowly climbed the stairs, feeling excited about the possibility, but also dreading seeing Kreacher. He finally reached the door of the attic and eased it open with a loud creak. The stairs were very dark, so he pulled out his wand and mumbled _Lumos _to light his way.  
  
He reached the top and entered a large loft in the room of the house. There was just enough room to stand as he peered around the room, looking for Kreacher. Some gray sunlight was coming in through several dirty windows, giving enough light to see, so Harry extinguished his wand.  
  
He started slowly walking around. There were many large trunks about, but no sign of Kreacher. Just as he was about to give up looking for him, he noticed a pair of very large eyes watching him from a dimly lit corner.  
  
He moved slowly over to Kreacher, who started muttering words that Harry couldn't quite make out, although he thought he heard "scar headed freak." As Harry got a better look, he noticed that Kreacher looked truly awful. Kreacher had never been the most well groomed house-elf, but he had fallen far beyond even that low standard. He was extremely dirty, looking as if he hadn't cleaned himself in many months.  
  
He tried to muster some anger toward Kreacher, but it was obvious that whatever punishment he might think of didn't compare to what Kreacher already had. He barely seemed aware of Harry's presence as he listlessly sat against the wall, staring into empty space as he mumbled to himself quietly.  
  
Harry thought about asking if he knew about the diary, but then dismissed the idea. For all he knew, Kreacher might try to destroy it if he knew that Harry was looking for it.  
  
He began searching through various trunks and boxes for the diary. There was an enormous amount of junk around the attic, but very few books, so it wasn't hard to figure out that the diary was no where to be seen.  
  
Harry was about to give up and leave when he looked over at Kreacher curiously. He knew that it was pointless, but he suddenly felt a strong desire to ask him a question.  
  
"Kreacher?" Harry asked. He didn't move, so Harry said his name a bit louder. Finally Kreacher turned toward him slightly, although his eyes still looked lifeless. All the previous mumbling appeared to have sapped whatever energy he had, as he was very quiet now.  
  
Harry walked over and stooped down in front of him. "Why did you do it?" Harry asked quietly.  
  
Kreacher mumbled some unintelligible words. "Foul ... unnatural ..."  
  
Harry sighed in frustration. He felt stupid for even expecting an answer, but he felt he had needed to try, to somehow make sense of what had happened. He got up to leave.  
  
Abruptly Kreacher spoke. "He'll win, you know," he said, quite clearly.  
  
Harry stopped, the hairs on his neck standing up. He turned back around, and said, "Who?"  
  
Kreacher looked Harry in the eye. "_Him._"  
  
Harry knew he was talking about Voldemort. "He won't," Harry said quietly.  
  
"I did it for _him,_ and my mistress, who would have wanted me to do it," Kreacher said. "My loyalty lies with the true Black family, not the traitorous, foul members."  
  
Harry felt himself growing very angry. "Shut up," he said furiously.  
  
"When the Dark Lord finishes you off, he will kill all your friends, too," Kreacher said, cackling madly.  
  
Harry pulled his wand out, gripping it tightly, feeling an overwhelming desire to hurt him. Kreacher looked at his wand contemptuously.  
  
"Kill me. What does it matter? I'm happy to die as a martyr to the true lord of the world. You'll see... you'll all see... foul creatures... traitors..." Kreacher began mumbling again, his eyes glazing over, descending back into madness.  
  
Harry pushed down his anger and shoved his wand back into his pocket as he turned around and stalked out of the attic. He threw open the door and slammed it shut, stomping down the hall, trying to regain control over himself.  
  
He walked into the nearest room, the library of the house. The room was filled with books, with a comfortable sitting space for reading. He briefly wondered if the diary was here, but it seemed likely that it wouldn't be in as public a place as this. To calm himself more than anything, he started looking through the books for the diary.  
  
He was just reaching the end without success when he heard a small knock on the open door. He looked over and Ginny was at the door, looking hesitant.  
  
"Hi, Harry... I heard a door slam, before... would you rather be alone?" she asked quietly.  
  
"It's all right," Harry said, sitting down in a chair heavily.  
  
Ginny walked over and sat down in a chair, waiting patiently for him to say something.  
  
"I... saw Kreacher," Harry said, not totally over his anger.  
  
"I see," Ginny said, with a small nod.  
  
"Yeah. It wasn't a happy reunion," Harry said. He looked away and said, "I'm just not certain I'm ready to be here."  
  
There was a long silence. Harry was grateful that Ginny seemed to sense to not to try and pry his feelings out of him. It helped to just have her sit with him quietly.  
  
"I... found some things," Harry said finally.  
  
"What did you find?" Ginny said curiously.  
  
"I went into Sirius's bedroom. I found some old letters and stuff, a lot of them from my dad," he said.  
  
Ginny smiled. "That must have been nice to read," she said.  
  
"Yeah. But then I found something really interesting... my dad mentioned a diary that Sirius used to keep," Harry said. "I've been looking around for it. I asked Remus about it, but he didn't know what happened to it. That's why I went to the attic. But it wasn't there, either."  
  
Ginny frowned as she gave the matter some thought. "Well, I don't remember seeing Sirius ever writing in a diary during the summer, although he might have done it at night. I would have thought it would have been in his desk or something, but it wasn't there?"  
  
"No. I checked," Harry said, feeling dejected.  
  
"Well, I'll keep an eye out, too," she said. "I'm sure it'll turn up somewhere."  
  
Harry nodded, not feeling very confident about the whole thing. Another silence grew between them as Harry felt the weight of the house on his shoulders once again.  
  
"It's so hard being here," Harry said in a low voice.  
  
"I know," Ginny said. "I know it doesn't compare to your pain, Harry, but we all miss him, too. I think it would have made it easier if there had been a funeral for him, along with a clearing of the charges. I think it makes it harder when there is so little... well, recognition. It was nice that Dumbledore gave that little speech on the first day."  
  
Harry nodded. "Yeah... I have so little to remember him by."  
  
"I suppose our memories of him are what's most important, in the end," Ginny said. "I'm glad we got to see the Professor Lupin's memory."  
  
Harry gave a ghost of a smile. "Yeah... they were something in those days, weren't they?"  
  
Ginny giggled a bit. "Good looking, too," she said mischievously.  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. "Ginny!" he said, shocked, before he couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I'm not a good judge of that sort of thing."  
  
"Good thing they didn't go to Hogwarts at the same time as Fred and George... the place would have exploded," Ginny said.  
  
Harry laughed. "Now there's a frightening thought."  
  
Ginny suddenly cocked her head, as a thought entered her mind. She looked at Harry, but then bit her lip, like she wasn't certain she should say it.  
  
"What?" Harry said, curious.  
  
"Well... I just had a thought... but you'll probably think it's stupid," she said.  
  
"No, it's all right, tell me," Harry said.  
  
"I was just thinking of a way to sort of honor Sirius, the way he might want to be honored..." Ginny said, a bit reluctantly.  
  
"How?" Harry said, intrigued.  
  
"Well, I heard that Fred and George are going to be coming here for Christmas, and staying overnight... and you owe them for those tricks they pulled on you over the summer..." Ginny said.  
  
Harry face grew into a wide smile. "And what better way to honor Sirius than playing a prank on the pranksters in Sirius's own house?"  
  
"That's the idea, although I didn't know if you thought it was too silly or frivolous," Ginny said.  
  
"No... it's perfect. That's a brilliant idea, Ginny. That's exactly what Sirius would want," Harry said, growing excited by the possibility. "But what should we do?"  
  
"Let me think," Ginny said musingly. Suddenly she smirked. "I have an idea... we'll need Hermione's help, and Ron will certainly want in..."  
  
Ginny grinned widely at Harry as Harry grinned back, and then she explained her plan.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry woke up Christmas morning, greeted by a large pile of presents at the foot of his bed. As was normal, Ron's pile was a bit larger, and as last year, Ron was already halfway through his pile. Ron grinned at him, pulled a gift off Harry's pile and tossed it over.  
  
Harry caught it automatically and saw it was from Ron. He began unwrapping it, noticing that Ron had an odd smirk on his face. Harry pulled out the package and glared at Ron. It was a big sack full of Grasshopper Gummies. Ron began laughing loudly; unfortunately, Harry had told Ron about his trip to Hogsmeade with Parvati.  
  
He took one out and threw it hard at Ron. It hit Ron square in the head and then began jumping about the room.  
  
"Very funny," Harry said, trying to be angry, but not really succeeding as he popped a few of the treats into his mouth.  
  
Hermione had given him a big jar of Dangerous Dai's magic broom polish, which was supposed to make the broom frictionless. She had given Ron a beautiful new silver captain's whistle, which he immediately put around his neck and admired himself in the mirror, causing Harry to suppress a few chuckles. Hagrid had sent along a model dragon that breathed real fire, which almost set Harry's bed ablaze.  
  
Opening his present from Ginny, he pulled out a very nice green shirt. Harry appreciated receiving clothes more than the average teenage boy, seeing as how the Dursleys always gave him hand-me-downs five sizes too big. Harry got dressed, putting on the new shirt.  
  
Harry then opened up a badly-wrapped present from Dobby. He pulled it out and stared at a framed picture in horror. It was a picture of himself and Ginny, from the first night they had gone down to the kitchens. They both had silly grins on their faces as they fed each other the chocolate strawberries. Harry glanced over at Ron and quickly hid the picture back in the paper, blushing furiously. _If Ron, or God help me, Fred and George ever see that picture...the teasing will be merciless, _he thought with dread. Fortunately, Ron didn't seem to notice him hiding the gift.  
  
Harry blew out a long breath, trying to forget the embarrassing picture. They got dressed and headed downstairs to breakfast. They met Hermione and Ginny down in the living room, where they all exchanged 'Happy Christmas.' Harry noticed Ginny giving him a very pleased smile at him wearing her gift.  
  
"Oh, Ron, that gift was wonderful!" Hermione said, causing Ron's ears to grow a bit red. Ginny smirked a bit at him.  
  
"What did you get?" Harry said curiously.  
  
"He gave me a framed certificate listing all my OWL scores!" Hermione said happily.  
  
Ron shuffled his feet. "Well, it's not everyday that someone gets thirteen OWLs... I mean, you should have something to mark it... right?" he said, embarrassed.  
  
Hermione gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you so much, Ron."  
  
"And thank you for the book, Harry," Hermione said, giving him an embrace as well, as if she didn't want to leave him out of the hug action.  
  
"Thank you for the broom tuning kit, Harry," Ginny said, with a warm smile. "That will come in handy."  
  
"You're welcome," Harry said, hoping that she really liked it and wasn't just humoring him.  
  
Later in the morning, Fred, George, Bill and Charlie also showed up with gifts, which they decided to open before the Christmas lunch.  
  
Harry began opening up his present from the twins, feeling a bit of disquiet. One never knew what to expect from them.  
  
"No worries, Harry," said Fred, grinning at him. "It's our latest product. In fact, we owe you for this idea."  
  
"Indeed, Harry," said George. "We think it'll be a big seller."  
  
Curious now, Harry began opening the gift a bit more confidently. He opened up a box and pulled out a very odd looking hat. Everyone was looking over, wondering what the gift was.  
  
"Let's show him, Fred," said George, pulling out a couple of mirrors, and handing one to Fred. "Turn around Harry, so everyone can see."  
  
"Turn around? What for?" Harry said.  
  
"You'll see," said Fred.  
  
Harry turned around slowly. Fred handed Harry one of the mirrors, and held his own up so that Harry could see the back of Harry's head.  
  
"Well? Put it on!" Fred said.  
  
Reluctantly, Harry put on the hat. He felt an odd sensation on the back of his head as a shocked silence descended on the room.  
  
He looked into the mirror, and saw a distorted face of Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, growing out the back of his head, similar to how Voldemort had grown out the back of Quirrell's head.  
  
"You-Know-Who has not returned!" Fudge said sternly, out of the back of Harry's head.  
  
"Everything is fine! Have I told you how great a job I'm doing?" said Fudge winningly.  
  
"I'm the Minister of Magic... for now," said Fudge, looking scared.  
  
"Fred! George!" roared Mrs. Weasley, leaping to her feet. "How could you? You've gone too far this time!"  
  
Fred and George's faces fell as they looked at each other with fear. The whole room was looking in horror between the twins and Harry, obviously wondering what Harry's reaction would be.  
  
Harry snorted, laughter forcing it's way out. The whole thing was so absurd, so _Fred and George, _that he couldn't help but laugh. Looking at Mrs. Weasley's outrage, Ginny and Hermione's concern, and general shock everywhere else just caused him to laugh louder. Finally everyone joined in, Harry laughing even harder until his sides hurt.  
  
"Only you blokes can take one of the worst experiences of my life and make it funny," Harry said, finally calming down. "I knew there was a reason I gave you that gold."  
  
* * *  
  
"Is it ready?" asked Ron. "I unlatched their door so that all they'll have to do is push the door open."  
  
"Yes. I just added the magic storage potion," said Hermione, grinning.  
  
The four of them were meeting in the library. It was midnight, and everyone had long since gone to bed, including Fred and George. The house was extremely quiet.  
  
They had made two golems over the last few days to use with the prank. Harry had been a bit surprised that Hermione had gone along with it, but she had agreed enthusiastically.  
  
"I also added a little bonus," Hermione said. "I cast a Specto charm on their heads. We'll be able to watch what they see in these mirrors." Hermione gestured toward a pair of mirrors she had propped up on some chairs.  
  
"This is brilliant," Ginny said, grinning.  
  
"What spells are they going to launch?" asked Harry.  
  
Ginny smirked. "Pinching hexes. They also cause the spot they hit to turn different shades of color. They'll chase them around until they drop their wands."  
  
"...and of course, they don't know that all they have to do is drop their wands..." continued Ron. They all laughed quietly, trying to keep their voices down.  
  
"_Augeo,_" Hermione said, casting the spell quietly and holding her wand on the golem for ten seconds. She then charged up the other golem.  
  
"You give the word, Harry. Gee-Oh," said Hermione.  
  
Harry grinned at everyone. "Go," he said to the golems.  
  
The golems leapt onto their feet and headed out the door. Harry noticed that someone had written "Fred" and "George" across each Golem's bottom.  
  
The four eagerly watched the mirrors. They could see the golems heading down the stairs, toward the Fred and George's room. The golems pushed the door open and ran in. They couldn't see anything in the dark, but suddenly saw hexes flying into the darkness and heard yelling coming up the stairs.  
  
"Ow! Ow!" yelled one of the twins.  
  
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?" roared the other. "Ow! What's pinching me?"  
  
"_Lumos_!" one of them shouted.  
  
The room lit up, and Harry could see the twins sitting up in each of their beds, holding their wands. Their eyes grew wide as they saw the golems attacking them. Fred was wearing bright orange pajamas, while George was wearing violent purple.  
  
They leaped out of bed and started launching hexes at the golems.  
  
"_Stupefy!" _Fred shouted. Harry could see the spell hit the golem, but nothing happened.  
  
"_Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!" _George shouted.  
  
"Ouch, damn you," Fred shouted, touching his leg. "Ahhh! I'm bleeding to bloody death!" There was a bright red splotch where the hex had hit him.  
  
"Wait..." George shouted. "I've got green and yellow spots... let's get out of here!"  
  
They ran out of the room, pushing past the golems. The golems followed, launching pinching hexes all the way. Harry noticed that their aim was very well directed as Fred and George covered their bottoms with their hands and yelped every time the pinching hex hit them.  
  
The four of them were laughing loudly watching the twins running along and jumping up periodically. Ron and Ginny were laughing so hard that they were on the floor holding their stomachs.  
  
"It isn't aiming for their arse, is it?" asked Ron in disbelief.  
  
Hermione grinned. "Well, I thought it was a good fleshy spot."  
  
"You are so wonderful. Have I told you that lately?" Ron said admiringly.  
  
Hermione couldn't help blushing as she laughed some more, looking at the mirror.  
  
Fred and George had reached the living room and apparently decided it was a good spot to defend themselves. They hid behind the furniture as they tried various spells and hexes to stop the golems.  
  
Suddenly they heard a noise out in the hallway and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley appeared in the door. They all abruptly stopped laughing, particularly Ron and Ginny, who looked very abashed.  
  
"What's going on here?" asked Mrs. Weasley sternly.  
  
"Erm, well, you see, Mum," Ron started.  
  
"All right," Ginny said, looking scared. "We're... er... playing a little prank on Fred and George."  
  
Mr. Weasley smirked, but then looked at Mrs. Weasley, as if wondering what his reaction should be. Mrs. Weasley looked at the four teenagers and paused for several long seconds.  
  
"I see," she said, with a slight smile. "Well, come along, Arthur. Let's go back to bed."  
  
The four looked at each other, and then started laughing again as they looked back at the mirror.  
  
Fred and George fought a pitched battle with the golems for several more minutes when it looked like Fred had an idea. He leapt up and Harry could hear him yell, "_Abrumpo!"_ from down the stairs. It was a very strong cloth severing charm, used for canvases.  
  
The view through one of the mirrors suddenly tumbled and then looked straight up. Apparently Fred had severed the head off the golem. Harry heard a few more Abrumpo charms and saw several pieces of golem flying through the room. Finally all was quiet.  
  
"Oh, God, my sides hurt," Ginny said, still laughing.  
  
"Shall we go down?" said Ron with a huge grin.  
  
"I'd say so," Ginny said. "But everyone go down with a straight face."  
  
They all tried to paste on a normal expression as they walked down the stairs. Entering the living room, they saw Fred and George sitting in chairs, looking exhausted. They were covered with splotches in various pastel colors, making them look like circus clowns after a particularly exhausting act. Pieces of golem were strewn about the room.  
  
"Fred! George! What happened?" Ginny said, with a concerned, straight face.  
  
"Bloody hell! These things attacked us!" Fred said, stabbing his finger at the shards of cloth that were formerly golems.  
  
"It's the work of the Dark Lord, I tell you!" George said, shaking his fist in the air.  
  
Ron nodded sagely. "Dark, dark, dark magic was clearly involved, I'd say. The darkest!"  
  
"No doubt that You-Know-Who specially targeted you blokes," said Ginny seriously. "He heard about the Fudge Hats. You can't expect to mock the Dark Lord without consequences."  
  
Fred and George both shot Ginny a very suspicious look. Harry couldn't take anymore and let out a loud snort before he started laughing loudly. Ron, Hermione and Ginny followed suit.  
  
"You mean... you lot did this!?" Fred said with outrage, his brother showing an identical expression.  
  
As everyone kept laughing at them, Fred and George looked at each other and finally started laughing as well.  
  
"All right," George said. "You got us good. We have to give credit where credit's due. That was a brilliant prank."  
  
"In fact, I'll give it my highest compliment... it was worthy of us," said Fred with a grin. "Well done."  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: This chapter dedicated to melindaleo, who reviews every chapter and says nice things, and who really wanted Sirius angst. I hope this was angsty enough for you. :)_  
  
_Thanks as usual to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	20. Chapter 19 The Chronicle of Snape

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 19: The Chronicle of Snape_

  
  
_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._  
  
* * *  
  
Harry awoke the next morning, a smirk rising to his lips after the prank of the previous evening. He felt very satisfied with the joke and believed that it more than made up for the pranks over the summer that the twins had played on him. _Sirius would have approved, _he thought with a smile.  
  
He looked over at Ron, who was still snoring in his bed after the late night events. He started pulling on his clothes, trying not to wake him, but Ron opened his eyes and grinned at him. Harry grinned back.  
  
"That was brilliant," Ron said, chortling.  
  
Suddenly Harry had a sense of disquiet. "Erm, you don't suppose they might... retaliate, do you?"  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes and considered the possibilities. "You never know with those two gits. We better watch our backs."  
  
"Yeah. Well, I'll see you downstairs," Harry said, walking to the door.  
  
He reached toward the door knob, but then stopped, peering at the door suspiciously. "Do you think...?" Harry said, glancing back at Ron.  
  
"Wait!" Ron said. He dove under the covers for safety. "All right, now try it," he said, voice muffled.  
  
Harry glared at him. "A lot of help you are," he grumbled. He pulled out his wand and waved it at the door. "_Finite Incantatem!_"  
  
"Can't hurt," came Ron's voice from beneath the pile of blankets.  
  
Harry turned the door knob cautiously, then waited a second, while the door was still closed. Having an idea, he moved to the side of the door, hugging the wall, then flung the door open. The door banged against the wall, but nothing happened.  
  
"All right, I think we're safe," Harry said cautiously.  
  
Ron peeked out from beneath his blanket. "Safe so far. I don't trust them at all," he said.  
  
Harry peered out into the corridor, but all seemed quiet. He took a cautious step through the threshold, with nothing happening.  
  
"Well, can't stay in here forever," Harry said. "See you downstairs."  
  
"All right, mate. Watch the bathroom; Fred and George love toilet pranks," Ron called.  
  
Harry gulped. Maybe he would use the bathroom next to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room for a while.  
  
He walked down the stairs, slowing as he spotted Fred and George waiting at the bottom. They had apparently cleaned themselves up; all the various colors were gone, although Harry could see a few welts here and there from the pinching curses.  
  
"Harry, old man, could we have a word with you?" said Fred, smiling jovially.  
  
"What?" Harry said suspiciously.  
  
"First, let us say that was a brilliant prank last night," said George, clapping him on the back. Harry flinched, wondering if George had just slapped something on him. Harry surreptitiously moved toward a mirror on the wall where he could get a good look at his back.  
  
"Corking good joke," Fred continued. "Frankly, we didn't think you had it in you."  
  
"Thanks," Harry said cautiously, not wanting to say it was Ginny's idea and get her targeted by them.  
  
"Of course, we suspect that it wasn't your idea. This had Ginny's fingerprints all over it. Even our dear brother wouldn't have thought of something like this," George said, nodding wisely.  
  
Harry didn't trust himself to say anything, so he just kept a neutral expression on his face, trying to figure out where Fred and George were going.  
  
"All in good fun, though. Right, George?" said Fred.  
  
"No doubt about it, Fred. We can take a good joke with the best of them," said George.  
  
Harry had has doubts; this all sounded like a grand set up. He started to wonder if playing a prank on Fred and George had _really _been a good idea.  
  
George steered Harry toward the living room. "Come over here and sit down, Harry. We want to talk to you about something."  
  
_All right, this is it, _Harry thought nervously. He was tempted to run for it, but walked with George toward a chair, Fred following with an altogether-too-friendly smile. Harry started to sit down when he stopped and eyed the chair suspiciously. He decided that anywhere George wanted him to sit had to be a bad idea, so he decided to sit next to him on the sofa instead.  
  
Fred and George grinned at him. "Harry, Harry, Harry. No reason to be so suspicious," said Fred.  
  
"Like we said, we like a good joke. In fact, we're glad you're loosening up. Right, Fred?" said George.  
  
"Definitely, George. It was worth being the target just for that. Helping little Harrykins to develop more social skills," replied Fred.  
  
"Coming out of his cupboard, so to speak," said George.  
  
"All right, all right, what's this about?" Harry asked guardedly.  
  
"Right then. On to business. George?" said Fred.  
  
"Listen, we like these dolls of yours... any chance of getting the secret? They'd be a huge seller," said George, putting his arm around Harry fraternally.  
  
Harry smirked. "Oh, really? You think so?" Suddenly it was all clear to Harry why the twins hadn't retaliated. They wanted to know how the golems worked.  
  
"Oh, yeah. So how about it... partner?" said Fred, with his best winning smile.  
  
Harry didn't have the heart to tell them that they used restricted magic. "Well... you know, I don't know much about them. Hermione figured it out and designed them."  
  
"Really?" said George, looking at Fred.  
  
George lifted his arm off Harry, and Fred's big smile abruptly vanished. "Pardon us, Harry, we need to have a talk with a certain bushy-haired girl."  
  
Harry laughed as they walked away quickly, looking for Hermione. Figuring that this was too good to miss, he followed them into the kitchen.  
  
"Hermione!" said Fred exuberantly.  
  
Hermione, who was just finishing making tea, turned around and looked at them with surprise. "What's up?"  
  
"May I say, you are looking particularly pretty today," said George. "Isn't she, Fred?"  
  
"No doubt, George," replied Fred. "But then, she always looks lovely, doesn't she?"  
  
"Uh... thanks," said Hermione, blinking her eyes.  
  
"Come over here and sit down," said George, putting his arm around her and leading her to a chair. Hermione looked utterly confused as she allowed him to lead her over.  
  
Fred poured her a cup of tea and placed it in front of her, then sat down with George, each of them on either side. They gazed at her with big smiles as if nothing could be better than sitting and having tea with her. Hermione looked back and forth between them.  
  
"You know, we don't chat enough, do we George?" said Fred.  
  
"Absolutely not, Fred. Frighteningly rude of us, especially with someone so charming," said George.  
  
"We haven't even congratulated you on your thirteen OWLs," said Fred admiringly. "A fine job, particularly when we know that it undoubtedly irritated Percy no end."  
  
"Indeed, Fred," said George. "Smartest student at Hogwarts, without a doubt."  
  
"Er..." said Hermione, whose head was moving back and forth like she was following a tennis game.  
  
"You know, Hermione..." said Fred. "We have to tell you how much we admire the work that you've been doing with Harry."  
  
"Harry can't save the world by himself, eh, Fred?" said George.  
  
"Impossible, George," said Fred. "You know, we sleep better knowing that you're behind him."  
  
"In fact," said George. "Speaking of sleep, we have to tell you how brilliant those dolls were last night."  
  
Hermione's face suddenly took on a look of understanding and then her eyes narrowed suspiciously.  
  
"Thank you, Fred, George. That's _very _nice of you to say," she said, leaning back in her chair a bit, crossing her arms, and giving them a sly smile. She sneaked a glance at Harry.  
  
"Isn't she fantastic, Fred? You can tell she's way ahead of us," said George.  
  
"Amazing, George. Beautiful, talented, clever..." said Fred.  
  
"So how about it, Hermione? Will you tell us how they work?" said George.  
  
Hermione looked at each of them. "Really? You want the secret, is that it?"  
  
"Well... in a word, yes," said Fred.  
  
"What's in it for me?" said Hermione, with a smirk.  
  
Fred and George looked at each other in shock. Harry had to admit, he felt a bit of shock himself.  
  
"Erm, what do you want?" said George tentatively.  
  
"Well, the secret to the golems is too hard to explain. But I might be persuaded to tell you which books I got the secrets out of," Hermione replied.  
  
_This is an evil side of Hermione I've never seen, _Harry thought admiringly. Even if Hermione told them the book, the Twins couldn't get it, because it was restricted magic. On the other hand, given what she did to Rita Skeeter, maybe he had seen Hermione's ruthless side before.  
  
"What can we do to persuade you?" said Fred winningly.  
  
"Well, I don't know," Hermione said, giving each a smile in turn. "I suppose you'll both have to _think _about it. Convince me that you _deserve _to know."  
  
"That tea is looking a bit tepid," said George, taking the cup away. "Let me make you a fresh cup, right, Fred?"  
  
"Indeed, George. Take that rubbish away," said Fred, glaring at the cup, as if questioning how it dared to grow cold for Hermione. "Can I get you some biscuits?"  
  
"That would be nice," Hermione said, with a regal smile.  
  
Over the next few days, Fred and George treated Hermione like a queen, and she looked as if she was enjoying every second of it. Harry, Ginny and Ron watched the process, almost as entertained. Harry finally caught Hermione by herself after the third day.  
  
"How long are you going to keep this going, Hermione?" said Harry, snickering.  
  
"Oh, not much longer," Hermione said, giggling back. "I'll tell them the titles of the books soon. After extracting a promise of no retribution for any of our pranks, of course. But I'd say this was decent payback for flouting my prefect authority last year with their product testing."  
  
Harry laughed. "You know, Hermione, sometimes you really scare me. I'm very, very glad you're on my side."  
  
* * *  
  
Lupin poked his head out of his office as he saw Harry pass by the door. "Harry! I was just about to have some tea. Care to join me?"  
  
"All right," Harry said, smiling. He entered Lupin's office and sat down. He noticed many maps around the walls with thumbtacks stuck in various places. Piles of parchment were neatly piled on the desk, presumably reports of Death Eater activity.  
  
Lupin poured them both some tea. "How are you getting along, Harry?"  
  
"A bit better, thanks. It's still... hard, though," said Harry.  
  
"I understand," said Lupin sympathetically. "Of course, I was staying here when Sirius died. The house felt so empty with him gone."  
  
Harry nodded, not really feeling like discussing Sirius. Lupin seemed to sense it as he changed the subject.  
  
"So, how are you getting along with Professor Snape as the Defense teacher, Harry?" said Lupin with a small smile.  
  
Harry frowned, trying to find the words to describe his classes with Snape, but failing.  
  
"That well, eh?" Lupin said, chuckling. "To be honest, Harry, I've heard some rumors that things haven't gone so well. In fact, I'm told that there has been quite a bit of friction."  
  
Harry wondered curiously how he'd heard, then the answer came to him. "Hermione! She told you, didn't she?" he said, feeling peeved.  
  
"She did talk to me, yes. She's a bit concerned about where the whole thing is going in the class," said Lupin kindly. "She asked me to talk to you about it."  
  
"There's nothing to talk about," Harry said mulishly, feeling angry with Hermione for interfering.  
  
"Isn't there? Are you certain?" asked Lupin, eyebrows raised.  
  
There was a long silence as Lupin waited patiently for Harry to answer. "I haven't started anything," Harry said finally, looking irritable. "He's the one keeping it going."  
  
Lupin sighed. "I know, Harry. Remember that I've known Professor Snape for over twenty-five years, since he was eleven years old. He's always been stubborn."  
  
"He's had it in for me since I got to Hogwarts. I told Hermione before this year started that I wasn't going to take his rubbish any longer," Harry said firmly.  
  
"I completely understand your attitude, Harry. I'll only say that life is full of times like this, when someone in authority... well, takes advantage of their position in a way that you think is unfair."  
  
"So what am I supposed to do, just take it?" Harry said angrily.  
  
Lupin sighed. "No. Goodness knows, Harry, I'm glad to see you standing up for yourself. Your life has certainly had enough of this sort of thing. I'm just saying that one should be a bit... smart about it. Be careful that things don't escalate to a place you don't want them to go."  
  
Harry nodded, though not quite certain exactly what he was supposed to do differently from what he was doing now. "I'm tired of him hating me just because he hated my dad."  
  
Lupin opened his mouth hesitantly, then closed it, looking away. Harry noticed his reaction curiously. "What?"  
  
Lupin paused, looking extremely reluctant. "Harry, maybe it's time for you to learn a bit about Snape's history."  
  
Harry looked at him sharply. "What's there to know? He's made it very clear that he hated my dad."  
  
"That's true, Harry, he did hate your dad. But there's a bit more to the story about why he dislikes you. You see... it's not just your dad, although that makes it especially bitter to him. Snape has a grudge against you, personally," Lupin said.  
  
"That can't be. Snape has hated me from my first day. He didn't know me before that," Harry said.  
  
Lupin nodded. "Harry, I don't know everything about what happened with Snape, so I can't give you the whole story. Only Dumbledore knows that, I think. And a lot of what I'm going to tell you is a bit speculative on my part, but I think it will give you some insight."  
  
"All right, but I don't see how anything can justify what he does," said Harry with a scowl.  
  
Lupin smiled gently. "I didn't say any of this would justify what he does. I'm only telling you so that you'll have a better understanding of him, to help you deal with him better."  
  
Harry sat back and crossed his arms. "All right. So why does he hate me?"  
  
"To answer that, we need to go back to the beginning. You remember that we told you that Snape showed up at Hogwarts knowing more curses than a lot of seventh years. He had a chip on his shoulder from that first day. But, Harry, say what you want about him, Snape really was a brilliant student.  
  
"Unfortunately, he was also very unpopular. He was socially awkward and walked around with a very superior air. This made him a target for the popular students, yes, including James and Sirius. Snape had an enormous amount of pride and would retaliate against anything he perceived as a slight."  
  
"So why did he become a Death Eater?" Harry asked, interested in spite of himself.  
  
"That's a question only he can answer for certain, Harry," Lupin replied. "But I can tell you what I think. Snape's great desire was for respect, for recognition of his talents. I don't think he was particularly a believer in racial purity politics. What attracted him was the opportunity to put his talents to use, to be appreciated.  
  
"At some point, though, he started to realize that Voldemort's methods were going much further than he really wanted. Again, I can't tell you what the catalyst was for his change of heart. But he wanted out. Of course, no one leaves Voldemort's circle and lives. So he contacted Dumbledore with a plan to spy on him in the hopes of defeating him."  
  
"So it was all about saving himself?" Harry said spitefully.  
  
Lupin's face took on a world weary expression. "Yes... and no. Harry, these things are never that cut and dried. Snape is not a monster, although undoubtedly he did some monstrous things while being in Voldemort's inner circle. Would he have spied if he'd had another, easier option for getting out? Perhaps not. But keep in mind the risk Snape was taking. There are a lot of ways to die, and Snape chose to risk experiencing the most horrible of them."  
  
Harry nodded, reluctantly having to agree with that. Having experienced the Cruciatus curse personally, he knew how cruel Voldemort could be.  
  
"So what does this all have to do with me?" Harry asked.  
  
"We're getting there, Harry," Lupin said patiently. "So Snape began feeding information to the Order. I should say that James and Sirius were livid; they thought that Snape was using them, and at the first opportunity would feed them false information to bring down the Order. Dumbledore thought otherwise. I don't know how Snape was able to convince Dumbledore, but convince him he did.  
  
"Snape and Dumbledore hatched a plan to bring down Voldemort. The details of the plan are irrelevant now, but Snape was to kill Voldemort at a particularly weak time," said Lupin.  
  
"It didn't work?" asked Harry.  
  
"It was never tried. Also around that time, Dumbledore met with Professor Trelawney," Lupin said. "And learned the prophecy."  
  
Harry felt a chill. "You know about the prophecy?"  
  
Lupin smiled. "Well, now I do. I didn't at the time; almost no one knew, and still very few know. Dumbledore told me after Sirius's death."  
  
Harry nodded. "All right. I still don't understand, though."  
  
Lupin continued. "After the prophecy, Snape reported that Voldemort had become obsessed about killing the two children to be born. Apparently Snape thought it was a load of rubbish and wanted to continue with the plan to kill Voldemort. Dumbledore had other ideas; according to the prophecy, you or Neville would be the only ones who could defeat Voldemort, and therefore, Snape had to fail.  
  
"So Dumbledore made it a priority to protect James and Lily, as well as the Longbottoms. Snape was furious. Things were growing very tense in the inner circle; Voldemort suspected he had a traitor in his midst.  
  
"Then you know what happened. Voldemort came to kill you, and you survived. Now, this was a cause for celebration for most, but was a bittersweet victory for Snape. He was free, temporarily, but then was brought up on charges of being a Death Eater. He was almost sent to Azkaban for a very long time, but Dumbledore intervened on his behalf, and got him off."  
  
"All right, but why wouldn't he be happy about that?" asked Harry bitterly. "I still don't understand why he would hate me. Isn't that what he wanted, to be free of Voldemort?"  
  
"Yes, Harry, one might think that. But remember what I told you... Snape's great craving is for respect and acknowledgement. In his mind, he had the opportunity to become the greatest hero the wizard world has ever known. He would be the one to defeat Voldemort. And all that was ripped away from him in a single night," Lupin said quietly.  
  
"But that's not my fault!" Harry said, frustrated. "Why does he take it out on me?"  
  
"Not only ripped away from him, but he was put on trial as a traitor," Lupin continued, as if Harry hadn't spoken. "And it didn't end after the trial. He was a social outcast, a pariah. No one would hire him for a job, few would even speak to him. Snape is an extremely prideful man, Harry. He finally had to go to Dumbledore to ask for a job. Did you ever wonder why Snape is a teacher? He's not particularly well suited to it, is he?"  
  
"Definitely not," Harry said.  
  
"It's because that's all he can do. Believe me, there are innumerable things he'd rather be doing," said Lupin.  
  
"So he hates me because I defeated Voldemort instead of him?" asked Harry.  
  
"Almost, but not exactly, Harry. If another wizard had defeated Voldemort, Snape could have accepted that. He wouldn't have been happy, but he could have accepted it. But, from Snape's point of view, your fame is undeserved," Lupin said.  
  
"Well, I agree with him! I don't want to be famous!" said Harry, his voice rising.  
  
"I know, Harry," said Lupin patiently. "But, you see, Snape also suspected along with Dumbledore that Voldemort wasn't really gone. Snape never believed the prophecy, and still doesn't. Snape believes you are a fraud and his goal is to prove to everyone that you didn't deserve your fame then, and don't deserve your fame now. He believes your mother's sacrifice is the end of the story."  
  
Harry began rubbing his temples. "If he wants the fame, he can have it."  
  
Lupin smiled. "He would take it, if he could."  
  
They both paused, letting all the thoughts sink in. Harry didn't know what to think about the whole thing. He supposed it explained some of Snape's attitude.  
  
"Am I supposed to feel sympathy for him now?" Harry asked sullenly.  
  
"No, Harry. Once again, I tell you all this so that you might have some insight. The most important thing to remember is that Snape is wrong. Not only in his treatment of you, but in his opinion of you. You _are_ special, Harry. And frankly, I suspect Snape knows it, deep down. And that's the bitterest pill for him to swallow. The son of his most hated enemy is the only one that can truly set him free."  
  
Harry said nothing, feeling a little embarrassed by his words. Lupin sighed, looking far away for a few seconds, before he looked back at Harry.  
  
"My fear is what will happen between you two before he finally accepts it."  
  
* * *  
  
Harry packed up his trunk for the return to Hogwarts. The winter holiday had certainly started with excitement, but mercifully the rest of vacation had been relatively quiet. He felt fairly rested and was looking forward to going back. He actually felt a small amount of peace with being in the house. Although he would have preferred staying at the Burrow, he did feel like it helped him to be there and work through some of his grief with Sirius.  
  
The repairs on the Burrow were coming along well, according to Mr. Weasley. Ragnok had been very generous in his reimbursement of the damages; they could afford to make some badly needed upgrades to the Burrow along with repairing the damage from the attack. Mrs. Weasley looked particularly excited about the remodeling. Harry felt gratified that something positive actually came out of the whole incident.  
  
Harry sighed as he closed up his trunk. He wished he'd found Sirius's diary. He had told Ron and Hermione about it, and the four of them had searched the house some more, but nothing turned up. He wasn't even certain why it was so important to find it, but somehow it seemed like an important link to knowing Sirius.  
  
He met everyone downstairs. As last year, they took the Knight Bus back to Hogwarts. The trip passed without incident, with Tonks and Lupin escorting the four of them back to the grounds.  
  
Over the next few weeks, Harry settled back into his routine at Hogwarts. The DA meetings were going well, Parvati was annoying, but manageable, and his classes with Snape were still tense and occasionally injurious.  
  
One item he had added to his routine was late night practice sessions with the golems. He had found it extremely useful to practice with them; he felt like he was getting sharper with every exercise. He was finding that few students could really challenge him. Tonks was always very challenging, and they made certain they always had some practice time together at the DA meetings, but Harry felt like he needed more.  
  
He walked into the Room of Requirement one night when he was surprised to see Ginny there, practicing against a golem. She was deep in concentration, so he stood quietly by the door, waiting for her to finish her exercise.  
  
As he watched her, he reflected on her progress in the DA meetings. Although she was only a fifth year, he noticed that she held her own against many of the older, more advanced students, and in fact, did better than that against a lot of them. Watching her practice now, it was apparent that she had been putting in a lot of extra time. _She's really doing very well, _he thought, admiring her deflect spells coming from the golem.  
  
"Damn!" she suddenly yelled, as the golem slipped through her defense and her wand went flying out of her hand.  
  
Harry started applauding, grinning at her. Ginny turned around quickly, startled. "Harry!"  
  
"That was great, Ginny! You're getting really good," he said.  
  
Ginny shrugged with a bashful smile. "I'm doing all right. The golems are really good for improving your hand speed."  
  
"You know, I was just thinking that you've been doing really well in the DA meetings, too. Have you been practicing by yourself?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah. After... everything, and last year... you know, it just seems like a good idea to be prepared," she said.  
  
Harry nodded. "Yeah... well, do you mind if I practice with you?"  
  
Ginny smiled. "Of course not, Harry."  
  
Selecting a golem away from Ginny's practice area, Harry charged it and began sparring, as Ginny went back to her own practice. He worked up a good sweat as he had the golem launch various types of hexes at him.  
  
He noticed with amusement that Ginny got very competitive with the golems; getting angry with herself when the golem would slip a spell through. _It must be that Weasley temper_, he thought. He'd seen enough signs of it that he didn't really want to experience it first hand again. _She does look cute when she's angry, though_, Harry thought, before shaking himself and trying to focus his attention on what he was doing.  
  
Some time later, Harry was getting a bit bored with the golems and looked over at Ginny, wondering if she would be up for some sparring.  
  
"Ginny, do you want have a little dueling practice, you and I?" Harry asked.  
  
Ginny smiled. "All right. Shall we start with Expelliarmus?"  
  
They moved to the center of the room, where they took up dueling positions in front of each other. They started launching the disarming spells at each other. Ginny was very fast, but all the practice had made Harry much faster; he managed to disarm her several times, but she was not able to get through his defense. He could see her growing very frustrated.  
  
Abruptly Ginny threw herself to the floor, rolled over, and launched a spell. Harry was caught by surprise, causing him to be way too late in getting his shield up, and Ginny disarmed him.  
  
"Ha! Finally," she said, getting up off the floor, grinning.  
  
Harry grinned back. "Nice move. Didn't expect that one."  
  
"I'll never beat you in that kind of a duel. You're way too fast," Ginny said. "Let's do a full duel, any spell."  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows, then smiled. "All right."  
  
They stood away from each other again, and began. Ginny showed much more success, launching a variety of spells against Harry. He was blocking them fairly effectively, but he found himself somewhat impressed as Ginny launched a wide array of spells at him.  
  
"You've been studying," Harry said, eyebrows raised. "That was a NEWT-level spell."  
  
Ginny sighed with frustration. "Yeah. A lot of good it did. You blocked it."  
  
They continued dueling, Harry stunning her several times. Ginny got a few minor spells past him, but he could tell she was getting very irritated at her lack of success. She started yelling spells at him furiously, trying an assortment of variations. Some of the spells were very powerful, but Harry was able to block them  
  
Finally she screamed with frustration. "_Mucus Chiroptera!" _she shouted.  
  
An extremely strong spell leaped out of Ginny's wand, very bright and a pea-green color. Harry used a standard Protego, but the spell tore through his shield and hit him directly in the face. He staggered backward as he felt something growing inside his nose... he dropped his wand as things seemed to burst out of his nostrils extremely painfully...  
  
"Augh!" Harry yelled, clutching at his face as he dropped to the ground. A dozen very large bats began attacking his face. He swiped at them desperately, trying to push them away.  
  
"Oh, Harry!" Ginny said, running over and looking mortified. "I'm so sorry..." she began helping him brush away the bats.  
  
Finally all the bats were cleared away. Harry fell back on the mat, breathing heavily. His nose was bleeding, and his face felt like it had some deep scratches. Ginny got down on her knees next to him, looking extremely embarrassed.  
  
She conjured a handkerchief and started wiping the blood from Harry's nose and face.  
  
"I take it that was the famous Bat Bogey Hex?" Harry said with a wry grin. "I see why Fred and George fear it now."  
  
Ginny looked ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have hit you with it. I know that it's a really strong hex. I guess I got a little... carried away."  
  
Harry laughed. "It's all right. In fact, I'm glad you did. Clearly I need to learn how to better defend against that spell. At least, defend it when _you _cast it." Ginny grinned sheepishly.  
  
As Ginny gently cleaned his face, Harry felt himself growing a bit flustered. His breathing had calmed down, but he felt it growing more labored again as she hovered over him, very close. She leaned over him to get the other side of his face, her pony tail falling and touching his neck. He swallowed as she backed away a little.  
  
"Erm, I can try healing the scratches... unless you want to wait and have Madam Pomfrey do it..." she said.  
  
"No!" said Harry quickly. He definitely didn't want another trip to the infirmary. "No, please... you do it."  
  
"All right," she said. "Why don't you lie down on that couch over there... it'll be easier."  
  
Harry noticed a long couch with only a back-rest at one end, along with a regular chair, had appeared in the room. He got up off the floor and laid down comfortably, sitting upright with his back against the end.  
  
She sat down on the chair and turned it toward him, frowning at the cuts. Her head tilted a bit, and then a little, sly smile grew on her face. She reached over and touched a spot on his cheek.  
  
"That's a nasty one," she whispered.  
  
She began slowly tracing a line across his cheek, causing Harry to suck in a soft breath. She whispered the healing spell, causing Harry to feel a little tingle in his cheek as she mended the injury. She then wiped away the rest of the blood at the former spot.  
  
"This one, too..." she said in a low voice, as she traced it as well with her finger. Harry was fairly certain the finger movement wasn't necessary for the spell, but he didn't particularly feel like correcting her about the fact.  
  
She worked unhurriedly across his face, her small smile making him very nervous. He felt himself growing a bit hot; he wondered why the Room of Requirement seemed to be warming up the room... or was it... he wasn't certain anymore...  
  
"There," she said, still in a whisper. "Good as new." She looked him in the eye, with the same smile. Harry felt his heart thudding in his chest, her eyes looking very pretty. He felt very confused; feelings had been building up in him since the summer, but suddenly Ginny looked a whole lot less like Ron's little sister and his friend, and a lot more like a girl – a pretty girl. Memories of kissing her in the dream over Christmas floated into his head...  
  
Harry tore his eyes away, not knowing what to do. He wasn't certain what he was feeling, much less what Ginny was feeling. Panicked thoughts ran through his head. Ginny used to have a crush on him, but Hermione said she was over that... She couldn't possibly still have any feelings... could she? ... He wasn't certain he was ready for this... He needed to think about it...  
  
"Erm, you were doing really well," he said nervously. The mood in the room seemed to shift suddenly.  
  
"Thanks," Ginny said, with a little sigh. Harry wondered what the sigh was for.  
  
She paused and continued. "Not that well. You blocked almost everything I did. You know, I don't want to say I'm the world's greatest dueler, but I'm not bad, and I can't get anything past you. I did some pretty powerful spells, too. You're getting... really strong, Harry. Tonks is even having trouble with you."  
  
Harry felt a bit embarrassed. "Yeah... I know. Honestly, I don't know what's happening, but lately..." He had been practicing some of the very strong spells in Dumbledore's library lately, and he was getting them to work somewhat frighteningly well.  
  
"I suppose it makes sense, though, doesn't it?" Ginny said.  
  
"How do you mean?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"The prophecy. It said 'the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal.' Wouldn't that mean that you're going to grow as strong as he was?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Well, I guess I wondered about that, too," said Harry, a bit reluctantly. He sighed. "This whole thing is so weird. It's hard to believe that I'm... you know, different in some way."  
  
"What's important is that we're seeing some _proof _of the prophecy," said Ginny earnestly. "It didn't just pick some random wizard. You were chosen because you _are _special." Ginny suddenly looked embarrassed, as if she had said too much. "I mean, you're... um..."  
  
Harry smiled, feeling pleased with her words, but trying to look modest. "Yeah... er, maybe." Changing the subject, he said, "Well, up for a bit more golem practice?"  
  
"Don't want to duel with me any more?" she said, with mock hurt.  
  
"I think I'll study Bat Bogey defense a bit more before we do that again," Harry said, grinning. "But you can count on a next time. I definitely need a rematch to redeem myself."  
  
Ginny grinned back, looking very happy as they charged up their golems again.  
  
* * *  
  
_A/N: The teasing is terrible, isn't it? I promise we're getting closer..._  
  
_I hope you liked my Snape theory. I think it makes sense, and fits all the facts we know, without having to make up anything too outlandish (like Snape/Lily affairs). Read Snape's first words to Harry in the first book... he immediately pounces on Harry's "celebrity" and his last words in that scene are "fame isn't everything." I think that's a vital clue. It's all about the celebrity and the fame._  
  
_Thanks always to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_  
  
_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	21. Chapter 20 Practical Defense

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 20: Practical Defense_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Ginny sat in the library in the early evening, surrounded by a large pile of books. _I'll never survive this year, _ she thought forlornly. She had believed the workload was heavy before Christmas, but with OWL exams approaching, the teachers apparently felt the students needed additional stress. 

Of course, it didn't help that she happened to be starving. Her stomach gave a growl as she tried to concentrate on her work. It was about dinner time, and her appetite was not letting her forget the fact. She sighed as she continued on with her work, knowing that almost everyone else was at dinner. 

Later on after the evening meal was over, she looked up and saw Hermione sitting down at her table, smiling at her. 

"How's it going?" asked Hermione. 

"Exhausting, honestly," Ginny said tiredly. "I don't know how you lot got through last year, on top of Umbridge. I saw some Hufflepuff girl crying in the corner a while ago, and I felt like going over to join her." 

Hermione nodded sympathetically and patted her hand. "You'll get through it." 

"Yeah. Ron got through it and got eight OWLs, so I suppose anything's possible," she said, giggling. "Well, he should probably give you a couple of them for keeping him on task." 

Hermione laughed at that. "I noticed you weren't at dinner tonight," she said. 

Ginny's face took on a guarded expression. "Yeah. A bit too busy... lots of work to do," she said, gesturing at her large pile of books, as if she needed to prove the point. 

"Yes," Hermione said, nodding innocently. "I can see you have quite a bit of work here. In fact, I've noticed that you've been skipping dinners a fair amount lately." 

"Busy. Terribly busy... you know how it is... OWLs are a killer year..." Ginny said, unable to keep her eyes from darting away. 

"It's funny, though..." Hermione said, looking like she was giving a matter some serious thought. 

"Er, funny?" Ginny said nervously, feeling a sinking sensation in her stomach unrelated to her current lack of food. 

"Yes... I couldn't help but notice how Harry disappears the nights that you seem to skip dinner..." Hermione said, eyebrows raised. 

Ginny's face took on a bit of a blush. "All right, Hermione, you can stop," she said. "Harry usually shows up to take me down to the kitchens and we get something to eat together." 

Hermione grinned at her. "And you wouldn't be _intentionally _starting to miss dinners lately, now would you?" 

Ginny felt even more embarrassed. _Damn it, she is way too observant, _she thought, feeling aggravated. "All right, all right. Maybe a little. But no one else is noticing, are they? No one's talking about it?" she asked desperately. 

Hermione giggled. "Don't worry, no one's noticed anything, least of all Harry." 

"Good," Ginny said, feeling relieved. She rested her chin on her hands glumly. "I'm so pathetic, aren't I?" 

"I think it's sweet," Hermione said, smiling. "And let's face it, with Harry, it's best to take what he's willing to give." 

"Yeah. That's what I figured," Ginny said, still looking gloomy. 

"You should see him when comes into the Great Hall, though..." Hermione said, lowering her voice and snickering. "He looks around for you, and looks almost disappointed if he sees you. If you're not there, then he eats hardly anything." 

Ginny looked embarrassed. "Oh, he does not," she said, hoping he did. 

Hermione nodded, grinning. "So _something _must be happening..." 

"Hermione, I just don't know," Ginny said, with a heavy sigh. "If it were anybody else, I'd think something was going somewhere, but..." 

"But what?" Hermione said. 

"I mean, we're spending a lot of time together, he's even been _talking _to me a little, you know? But then... nothing." 

"Well, he's certainly not spending this much time with any other girls," Hermione said. 

"Yeah, that's something, I know... but you remember you're telling me that he might need a little push?" Ginny asked. 

"Yes..." Hermione replied. 

"Hermione, believe me, I've not been exactly passive in this whole thing," Ginny said, a bit embarrassed. "It _seems _like he responds, but... the only thing I haven't done is outright kiss him, and I just can't. It's like I said over the summer... I need to _know_ that it was his idea." 

"What's the worst that could happen if you did kiss him first?" Hermione asked. 

"If I kiss him first, then I'll always wonder if I roped him into it. You know, maybe he didn't really want to, but then he's stuck with me, and resents it," Ginny said, looking shy. "I know it sounds really insecure. And maybe it if it was _anyone _else, I wouldn't have such a problem, but... you know the history, here. I had a crush on him for so long, and made such a fool of myself, and now..." 

"Now what?" Hermione prompted. 

"I know I said I was going to try and not get emotionally involved again, but... I care about him so much. And I just don't want to get so impatient that I mess it up," Ginny said. 

Hermione nodded. "I understand. It's best with Harry to let him work it out at his own pace. He does care about you, though, Ginny." 

"I want to believe that... and I suppose I do..." Ginny said hesitantly. "I guess I'm just not certain if he will ever care about me... _that_ way. It seems like sometimes... he does..." 

"Well, that's something... I think you have good instincts about this," Hermione said. 

"Maybe. _But then why doesn't he DO something!?_" Ginny suddenly burst out with frustration, her hands unconsciously held out in front of her in a choking gesture. 

"Welcome to my world," Hermione said dryly. 

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at that. "Yeah, you're right. So, speaking of the git, what's going on with my dear brother?" 

Hermione heaved a great sigh. "I haven't the faintest idea." 

Ginny shook her head. "He is really trying for that prat-of-the-year award." She abruptly banged her fist on the table angrily. "Hermione, I'm telling you, that idiot I call a brother fancies you. There is zero doubt in my mind. Things have to be reaching a breaking point with him. It's only a matter of time." 

"I just don't know anymore. I mean, for a while there, over the summer... I thought things were moving. But once we got here to Hogwarts, he's just been... different. Have you noticed how much he's been studying?" Hermione asked. 

"Yes. Something certainly lit a fire under him. I've never seen him so interested in school stuff, not even when Mum taught before Hogwarts," Ginny said, giggling. "And let's just say that Mum didn't take no for an answer when it was time to study." 

"You know, I never thought I'd say this... but between Ron wanting to study all the time, and Joseph wanting to study, I'm getting a little tired of studying," Hermione said. 

"I never expected to hear _that,_" Ginny said, snickering. 

"All that, and extra studying I've been doing for Harry... and the D.A. meetings... I mean, I'm really happy that Ron is taking things so seriously now, his marks have really improved, but I sort of miss having a little fun, you know? He actually turned me down for playing chess the other night, because he said he had an essay to finish!" 

Ginny shook her head. "Hmm. Well, so what's going on with Joseph?" 

"He's very..." Hermione paused. "studious." 

Ginny laughed. "Well, there's a ringing endorsement." 

Hermione blushed. "Well, I didn't mean it that way. He's really very nice, and we have wonderful conversations about lots of different subjects. He's very intelligent." 

"It's good that you two seem to have a lot in common," Ginny said. 

"Yes. I mean, we both enjoy learning a lot of different things. I did have a lot of fun in Hogsmeade with him..." Hermione said, trailing off. 

"But?" prompted Ginny. 

Hermione sighed. "I kept thinking about Ron the whole time. They're so different... I have great analytical conversations with Joseph, but Ron... he makes me laugh." 

"Do you think your relationship with Joseph has any potential?" Ginny asked. 

"Maybe... I don't know. I mean, I like him..." Hermione leaned forward a bit. "He kissed me the other night." 

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Really? Where?" 

"On the lips... Oh! You mean _where..._" Hermione said, blushing. 

She hurriedly continued as Ginny grinned at her. "In the Astronomy Tower. We went up there to do some homework, and we started talking. He said he really liked me, and leaned over and kissed me." Hermione said, a bit shy. 

Ginny giggled. "How was it?" 

Hermione paused, trying to think about how to put it. "It was... a kiss, I guess. I don't know what I expected. I kept thinking about this book on kissing that I read." 

Ginny laughed. "Normally you just enjoy it, you don't analyze it." 

Hermione looked embarrassed. "Yes, you're right. That's what I told myself afterward; that I need to not think so much." 

"Well, he doesn't seem like a bloke who's particularly experienced, either, so I'm certain it'll get better," Ginny said supportively. 

Hermione sighed. "I suppose we'll see how it goes. I'm trying not to have expectations for anyone. Those only seem to lead to disappointment." 

"I know exactly what you mean," Ginny said, nodding. 

"Well, as for Harry, I _have_ noticed that he seems a lot happier lately," Hermione said. "Even if it's not moving as fast as you'd like, you're having a good effect on him." 

"I hope so," Ginny said. "I don't know. You know, the last Hogsmeade... it almost seemed like he wanted to ask me to go with him." Her face grew into a scowl. "Then I saw him there with _Parvati._" She said the name as if it was a curse. 

"You don't think Harry _asked _her, do you?" Hermione replied. "Harry went by himself, but she saw him and trapped him." 

"I suspected as much, but I wasn't certain," she sighed, and looked annoyed. "It's just – does every girl fancy him this year? I'm sure I've spotted Cho sniffing around again, and there's this Hufflepuff girl that Harry is oblivious to..." 

Hermione giggled at that. "There's another Hogsmeade weekend coming up. Are you going with anyone?" 

"Well, I was hoping Harry would ask, but who knows what he'll do," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "I'll probably go with my friends again." 

"Joseph asked me, but I told him I was going to go with Harry and Ron. It seems like with everything we haven't had too much fun together lately. Say, why don't you come with us? Maybe spending the day with Harry will loosen him up and he'll be less shy about next time." 

"All right," Ginny said, smiling. "That sounds like fun. And I suppose it's like you say – when it comes to Harry, I should take what I can get." 

* * * 

Hermione sat with Joseph in the library, reflecting on her conversation with Ginny. Where was it going with Joseph? She had fun with him... was she giving him enough of a chance? Perhaps she was expecting too much; after all, only stupid romance novels had expectations of fireworks with every kiss. 

"Hermione?" Joseph said, interrupting her thoughts. 

"Yes?" she said, looking up from her essay. 

"You know... I've really been enjoying our time together this year... since... er, we've been going out..." Joseph said, looking nervous. 

"That's nice of you to say," Hermione said, flattered, although she wondered if "going out" was exactly the right term. 

"You know, Sunday after next is Valentine's Day. I was just wondering if, er, you wanted to have a picnic on that day... I was thinking I could pack us a lunch and... er... we could find a good spot somewhere on the lake... there's this winter picnic spell I've been dying to try. It's supposed to make the snow appear like grass and warm up the spot," he said. 

_Somewhere private, presumably, _Hermione thought. Well, now was the time to give him a chance, if that's what she wanted. "All right," she said, smiling. 

Joseph smiled back, looking a little relieved. "Great! It'll be fun. I think I'll bring –" 

Suddenly a drawling voice came from behind them, causing Hermione to flinch in surprise. "Well, what have we here?" Malfoy said. 

Hermione turned around and glared. "What do you want, Malfoy?" He had come in with Crabbe and Goyle behind him, the two of them sniggering stupidly. 

Malfoy ignored her as he smirked at Joseph. "O'Donnell, isn't it? I believe I recognized the pointy head." 

Joseph pursed his lips angrily, but said nothing. 

"Come now, O'Donnell. Surely you've learned to speak by now? Or didn't those Muggle schools teach you the finer points of articulation?" Malfoy sneered. 

"Just ignore him," Joseph said to Hermione. 

"Just ignore him," Malfoy mimicked him, in a high pitched voice. "You know, O'Donnell, I hear they have very good growth charms these days. You're looking a bit... small, shall we say?" 

"Malfoy, I'm warning you..." Hermione said, growing angry. 

"What? Do you have to defend your little boyfriend here?" Malfoy said, laughing mockingly. 

Joseph looked extremely embarrassed. 

"Oooooh... are you getting a bit peeved?" Malfoy said. "I better watch out... a Ravenclaw would know some pretty nasty hexes, right boys?" 

Crabbe and Goyle nodded, looking a bit fearful. Malfoy rolled his eyes at them. 

"But then, he'd actually have to have the guts to use them. Say, where's the weasel, anyway? Don't tell me he's finally grown tired of you, Granger," Malfoy said spitefully. "Or did that crow's nest you call hair finally scare him away?" 

"I'm going to tell Madam Pinch," Joseph said warningly. 

Malfoy put a mock look of horror on his face. "Ooooooh! Not that! Come on boys, we'd better go! He's going to _tell a librarian_." Malfoy laughed as they strode off to another table. 

Hermione seethed as she sat in her chair, trying to resist the urge to show Malfoy what a real hex looked like. As she calmed herself, she couldn't help but compare Joseph's reaction with Ron, who would have... what? 

She'd always told herself that she wished Ron would be less impulsive in his dealings with Malfoy and let authority handle it, but sitting there now, she couldn't help but feel a bit... disappointed. Hermione felt extremely confused as she examined her own feelings. If she was really honest with herself, she had to admit that she liked when Ron defended her. But was that really the _right _way to go about things? 

"Come on, Hermione, let's go back to work," Joseph said. 

Still feeling very puzzled at her own reaction, Hermione smiled somewhat weakly at him and went back to her work. 

* * * 

 "Ravenclaw," Ron whispered at his teammates, as he paced in front of the bench. "Clever blokes. A dangerous team this year." 

He stopped and looked around suspiciously. He continued in a conspiratorial voice. "_They want it this year. _I'm telling you I can smell it in the air. There is nothing more dangerous than a team with their backs against the wall. They lost their first game against Slytherin. _They're hungry,_" Ron said, eyes wide. 

"HUNGRY!" he suddenly yelled, startling everyone. "They know that if they lose this game, they're in a deep hole. Look out for them to play very aggressively. We have to be on our toes today." 

Ron smacked his fist into his palm for emphasis as he continued. "We have an amazing chance this year – a chance to repeat as champions. I've said it before, but let me say it again. I've never been so proud as I was at the end of the Hufflepuff game. I can feel it. This team is special – we have the potential to be one of the greatest teams in Hogwarts history. _I can feel it!_" Ron said, looking as if he might choke up. 

Ron's face abruptly took on a look of warning. "But it won't be given to us. We have to earn our place in history. We have to _embrace the passion... _show everyone and everything that were _worthy _of being called champions. Show the students. Show the teachers. Show the field... the hoops... even the snitch!" 

Ron raised his arms toward the sky, his eyes wide. "SHOW THE ALMIGHTY QUIDDITCH GODS IN THE SKY THAT WE'RE WORTHY!" 

"_Are we worthy_?" he yelled to the team. 

"YES!" the team fired back. 

"_Are you ready to play like champions today?_" Ron yelled. 

"YES!" The team yelled back. 

"_Then get out there and crush them!_" he finally screamed. 

* * * 

Ron slowly awoke, feeling extremely groggy. He tried to remember where he was, but felt very disoriented. Gradually he realized he was in a bed, but he couldn't tell what sort of room he was in. 

Someone was speaking to him, speaking his name. He tried to focus on the voice... 

"Hermione?" Ron asked, vaguely focusing on a brown mass in front of him. 

"Oh, Ron, how are you feeling?" she asked, very concerned. 

Ron thought about it. For some odd reason, the question felt exceptionally difficult to answer. He realized that his head was pounding, and his entire body felt as if it had been beaten recently with large clubs. 

"Awful," he said finally. 

"Ron?" asked a voice... it was Harry. At least, the voice sounded like Harry, and he could see a black-ish mass next to what he thought was Hermione. He could also see a reddish-looking head that might be Ginny. 

"Oi, mate," he said weakly. "What happened?' 

"You got hit in the head by a bludger," Harry said. 

Suddenly everything came back to Ron... "Oh no!" he said, trying to sit up in bed, but just flopping back as his body failed him. 

"Ron! Just lie still!" Hermione ordered, then her voice softened. "Just... just lie down, all right?" 

"All right," Ron said, sighing. "Just tell me – please tell me we won." 

There was an awkward silence in the room, giving Ron a sinking feeling. He groaned. "We didn't lose, did we?" 

"Well, I'm afraid so, Ron," Ginny said consolingly. "It wasn't a big loss, though! We can still make up the points in the Slytherin game..." 

Ron was devastated. His first loss as captain, and he felt as if he'd let the team down. "What... what happened?" 

"Well, after you were hit, Katie Bell took over at Keeper. She did pretty well, but... it was hard to score and defend two on three. Sam did his best, and Harry caught the snitch as fast as he could, but we were way down on points by that time. We lost by eighty points." 

Ron had an urge to start throwing breakable objects. Somehow the loss was even harder to take than the ones last year, but then he thought he should set a good example as captain. The team probably felt bad enough. 

"I'm certain you all did your best," Ron said, forcing a grim smile to his face. 

Just then Madam Pomfrey came into the room. "Well, Mr. Weasley. Awake, I see. How is your vision?" 

"Still a bit blurry, but better than when I woke up," Ron replied. 

"You'll need a few days with me, I'm afraid," said Pomfrey. 

Ron groaned. "Not again," He suddenly looked abashed. "Erm, I didn't mean it that way..." 

Pomfrey smiled. "I understand, Mr. Weasley. I'll have you out and about as soon as possible. Now, I think you've had enough visitors for now. You need some rest." 

"We'll come back soon, Ron," said Hermione sympathetically. "Can I bring you anything?" 

"Let me know what's on the dinner menu tonight... I'll let you know," Ron said, grinning. 

"All right, I will," Hermione, smiling back. 

Ron had a number of visitors the next day. Hermione spent most of the day with him when she wasn't in class, playing chess and exploding snap. Ron felt very gratified to have her with him. 

At one point in the afternoon, Padma Patil stopped by. Ron noticed nervously that she looked very pretty. 

"Hello, Ron," she said shyly. Hermione looked at her suspiciously. 

"Hi, Padma," Ron said, grimacing a bit as he shifted position. 

Padma looked at him worriedly. "How are you feeling? That was so _frightening, _watching you fall..." 

Ron smiled bravely at her. "Well, you know how it is... bit of a bludger to the head," he said, rubbing his head. "...and hitting the ground... broke a few bones, but nothing serious. A bloke has to be able to take the punishment." He waved his hand nonchalantly. "Rough game, Quidditch."  
  
Ron tried to avoid looking at Hermione as he could see a scowl forming on her face. 

"You know," Padma said, moving closer to the head of the bed. "I try and cheer for Ravenclaw... but I like to see _you _do well, too... Your win against Hufflepuff was really... impressive." 

Ron felt his ears heating up a bit. "Well, erm, you know, my teammates played really well," he said, trying to be modest. 

Padma smiled at him warmly. "Well, I better let you rest... maybe after you get out, I'll... see you around?" 

"Yeah... see you... all right," Ron said, feeling nervous. Hermione was looking extremely annoyed. 

"Well, bye," she said, putting her hand on his arm before exiting the infirmary. 

Hermione glared at Padma's retreating back as Ron carefully inspected his fingernails. She appeared about to say something when Harry walked in, carrying a package. 

"Harry!" Ron said loudly, relieved at the distraction. 

"Hi, Ron," Harry said, grinning at him. "You got this package from Fred and George." 

"A... package?" Ron said fearfully, eyeing the box. 

"They wouldn't send you a joke package when you're in the infirmary from a Quidditch injury," Harry said. 

"You never know with those two," Ron said. 

"I'll open it," Harry said. 

"Thanks, mate," Ron said gratefully. 

Harry opened up the box and pulled out an odd-looking pair of shoes and gloves. "Here's a note," he said, handing the parchment to Ron. 

_Dear Bro,_

_We heard about your little bludger accident, and of course we're impressed that you sacrificed sound body for the good of Gryffindor. Well done!_

_We'd say a little gift is in order. We think this will cheer you up – it's our latest invention. If you wear these shoes and gloves, you'lll stick to any wall, letting you climb anywhere you want. We think you'll agree that these will be highly useful for troublemaking opportunity._

_Your Brothers,_

_Fred and George_

"Whoa," Ron said, impressed. "I can't wait to try them out." 

Hermione looked rather disapproving as she read the note. "Well, I can't deny that it's an interesting bit of magic, but they're not particularly practical, are they?" 

"Practical?" Ron said incredulously. "Are you kidding? With these I can climb anywhere!" 

"Yes, Ron, but doesn't it seem as if there's no, well, _legitimate _reason to have something like this?" 

"Legitimate?" Ron looked at her suspiciously. "You're not going to tell McGonagall, are you?" 

"No!" Hermione said, a bit stung. "But Ron, we're prefects! What kind of example are we setting when we have things like these shoes and gloves... they're intended for rule breaking!" 

"Yeah..." Ron said, looking dreamy with the possibilities. He seemed to snap back to reality as Hermione glared. "All right, all right. I'll stay out of trouble. Okay?" 

"Well, all right," Hermione said, not looking completely convinced. 

* * * 

Harry sat in the common room, doing his homework with Ron and Hermione. Tomorrow was to be a Hogsmeade visit, and he was trying to work up the nerve to ask Ginny. Parvati had cornered him earlier and asked him if he wanted to go, but he had begged off, telling her he was going to study. 

He felt a twinge of guilt at the lie. _Well, if Ginny doesn't want to go, then I'll stay behind anyway, _he thought. _Probably Hermione is going with Joseph, and Ron will study._

He had been struggling mightily to figure out his feelings, but he felt mired in confusion. He knew that he enjoyed her company, and that he found himself missing her when she wasn't around, but what did he really feel? It felt different from what he'd felt with Cho. 

Of course, the other factor was that he had no clue how she felt about him. He kept coming back to the fact that Hermione had said she was over him. True, they had been spending a lot of time together lately... The truth was that he wasn't even certain _why_ she would have any feelings for him beyond being friends. 

So now he surreptitiously watched her across the room, wishing for some miracle that would help him ask her... 

"Ron?" Hermione asked, looking up from her homework and interrupting Harry's thoughts. 

"Hm?" Ron grunted, barely looking up from his work. 

"Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" she asked. 

Ron looked up at that, appearing a bit petulant. "Maybe," he said, shrugging. "I suppose you're going with the Runt." 

Hermione looked very angry. "Well, I was _thinking _of going with you and Harry. We've all been so busy that we haven't spent much time together this year, but if you're going to be _that_ way, then just forget it!" 

She slammed her books closed and got up to leave. 

"Hermione! Wait..." Ron said desperately, rising to his feet to stop her. "I'm sorry... Really. I'm sorry." 

Hermione looked slightly mollified as she looked as if she was trying to decide whether to stay or not. Finally she sat down again. "All right, then." 

Ron looked happier than Harry had seen him in quite some time as he grinned happily at Hermione. She finally couldn't help but grin back as the tension left the table. 

Harry felt conflicted. On the one hand, a day with Ron and Hermione sounded really good... but he really wanted to go with Ginny, too... 

"One more thing," Hermione said. "I hope you don't mind, but I invited Ginny along, too." 

Harry blinked. "Ginny?" Suddenly Harry's spirits rose considerably. He made a mental note to buy Hermione some of her favorite sweets at Honeydukes. 

"Yes. I need a new coat, so she's going to help me shop," Hermione said, looking a bit too innocent. 

Harry glanced over at Ginny, who happened to look up. He smiled at her and gave her a wave as he went back to his work. 

* * * 

The next morning, the four started off to Hogsmeade. The day was a bit cold as they trudged through the snow. Gray clouds covered the overcast sky, but Harry felt in a bright mood regardless. It was good to have a day with Ron and Hermione, and having Ginny along made it all the better. 

They entered the Three Broomsticks, deciding to have a Butterbeer to warm themselves up after the cold trip. As they sat chatting, Harry noticed someone looking at him. He glanced over, and with a sinking feeling, he saw Parvati. A surge of guilt rose up in him as he recalled telling her that he wasn't going to Hogsmeade. 

He couldn't help but notice that she looked a bit hurt, but she gave him a wave anyway. Harry felt obligated to wave back, which caused Ginny to notice where he was looking. Her lips pursed tightly for a second, but then she smiled, but it looked somewhat forced. 

Harry felt extremely confused. Ginny had looked annoyed for a second; what did it mean? _Did she think I was rude? Did she think I wanted to be with Parvati instead of all of them? _He groaned inwardly. It was far too complicated to figure any of these things out. 

After their drinks were finished, they decided to look around Hogsmeade, enjoying the crisp air and pretty snow around the village. As Harry walked along the snow-covered street, he noticed that Ginny had disappeared. Suddenly a snowball hit him hard in the head. 

"Augh!" Harry shouted. He noticed Ginny had taken cover behind a large snow bank. Another snowball came launching through the air and caught Ron direct in the face as he turned to look. 

"Ginny!" Ron shouted. He quickly reached down and picked up a snowball, launching it at Ginny. She ducked just in time, laughing. 

"Come on, Hermione! Get the boys!" Ginny shouted. Hermione ran over to the bank as Harry and Ron took cover behind another snow bank. They spent several minutes laughing and launching snowballs. Harry noticed that all the Quidditch practice had made Ginny's aim deadly as she scored a lot more hits on him than he scored on her. 

Harry leapt up and was about to throw another snowball when abruptly a large amount of snow flew up, leaving a large gouge in his snow bank. He stared dumbly, wondering why the girls were using magic outside of school. 

"Harry!" Hermione screamed. "Get down!" 

Harry dove to the ground as a spell flew straight through the air where he'd been standing only a split second before. Ron threw himself down next to him. A surge of adrenaline rose in him as he gripped his wand tightly. 

"Harry! Across the street, three of them, two feet to the left of the Curio Shop sign!" Ginny yelled. "They're moving toward you..." 

Harry leapt up, ready this time. He saw three black-hooded wizards cautiously approaching, but as they saw him they started running toward him. 

"_Stupefy!_" one of the wizards shouted. 

Harry blocked the spell automatically; all his practice paying off. He immediately launched a return spell, which was blocked by one of the wizards. 

The three seemed taken aback that Harry had blocked the spell so easily as they veered off, taking cover. Anger surged through Harry as he worried about his friends, and coming so soon after the Goblin attack, he was tired of messing around. 

Ron got up to his feet next to him, a determined look on his face. He launched a stunning spell, which was again blocked by the wizards.__

"_Sopor Irrationalis!_" Harry shouted, giving the very powerful stunning spell. The disadvantage was that it was a rather slow spell and easy to dodge, but the wizards didn't seem to expect it, and it caught the first one, blowing easily through the shield he'd tried to cast. The wizard fell headfirst in the snow. 

The other two looked at Harry, appearing much more hesitant. Harry, not feeling particularly gentle, launched several very powerful bludgeoning spells. One wizard partially deflected it, but was still knocked off his feet into the snow. The other wizard missed entirely, and Harry heard a loud crunching sound as the spell hit him violently in the chest. The wizard flew backward and crumpled to the ground, unconscious. 

A loud POP sounded as the knocked down wizard recovered and Disapparated. 

Harry looked around wildly, wondering if there were any more of them hidden anywhere. He saw a number of wizards running toward him. He raised his wand, intending to hurt the first one that came into range... 

"Wait! Potter, it's me! Blackhorn!" a man shouted. 

Harry held back, looking suspiciously at the man. As his face came into view, Harry recognized it as the Auror he had met in Diagon Alley. 

"Are you all right?" Blackhorn asked, his eyes wide, scanning the area. 

"Yes," Harry said, his heart racing. "There were three of them that attacked. I knocked out two of them, and one got away." 

Blackhorn nodded and went over to look at the fallen wizards. He waved his wand over the stunned wizard, nodded at something, and then cast a spell that tied him up. He moved over to the other wizard, waving his wand in a similar fashion. He looked alarmed and then knelt down quickly. He touched the wizard's neck, looked a bit relieved, and then cast a spell, sweeping his wand over the body. "Smyth! I need a Healer, _now! _I cast an immobilization spell, but we have a severe chest injury." 

Ron, Hermione and Ginny had moved over to stand next to Harry, all three looking grim. Harry also noticed that many students were milling around, looking between the Aurors, the fallen wizards and himself. 

"Is he going to be all right?" Harry asked, his feelings conflicted. 

"Mr. Potter," Blackhorn said as he looked hard at Harry. "Don't you worry about that, and don't you feel the least bit of guilt. These two are known Death Eaters, or at least, we've suspected them for a long time. You did what you had to do. To answer your question, yes, I think he'll live." 

Blackhorn grinned as he looked at Harry appraisingly. "But I guess he knows he messed with the wrong wizard, eh? Great Merlin, you hit him with a powerful spell. You know, Tonks has been telling us how well you've been doing at your meetings... honestly, I thought she was exaggerating a tiny bit, but –" 

"Mr. Potter!" Dumbledore was walking up, shooting an extremely angry look at the fallen wizards. Professors McGonagall and Snape were with him as well. "You are well, I trust?" 

"Yes, Professor. Thank you," Harry said. 

"Minerva, Severus, perhaps you should round up all the students. I believe it would be prudent to cancel the rest of the Hogsmeade weekend, if Voldemort's minions are getting this bold," Dumbledore said to the two teachers. 

"All right, Albus. You're correct, of course," said McGonagall, looking extremely worried. Snape nodded as well as they began moving down the street, looking for students. 

Some time later, all the students gathered at the road back to Hogwarts. 

"Is everyone accounted for?" asked Dumbledore. Harry was very glad that Dumbledore was here; he felt extremely jumpy. 

"Yes, Albus," said McGonagall. "It appears the attack was confined to Potter." 

Dumbledore waved his wand, causing his voice to speak very loudly. "Students! Follow me, please." 

All the students followed dutifully, as McGonagall and Snape brought up the rear. As Harry walked along, he felt guilty that the attack had ruined everyone's weekend. 

"Great Merlin, Harry, you're not feeling guilty, are you?" asked Ginny. 

Harry was startled out of his thoughts. "Am I that obvious?" he asked, feeling down, but smiling a little bit. He sighed. "I guess I just feel bad that the weekend was cancelled." 

"Well, blame the Death Eaters, not yourself," Ginny said firmly. 

"Yeah, maybe. Still, it would be nice to not be at the center of trouble for once," Harry said gloomily. 

"Harry, if it wasn't you, it'd be someone else," said Hermione. "You're just the one at the top of Voldemort's list. Honestly, when you think about it, we're lucky that nothing has happened before now. Hogsmeade is pretty exposed, and it would be just like Voldemort to attack students just for terror purposes. So don't focus on the negative, be thankful that no one was hurt. Once they had you, who knows who else they might have hurt? You probably saved a lot of people today." 

"That's right, mate. And that was one wicked bludgeoning spell," Ron said, smirking. "You'll forgive me if I don't feel particularly bad about what happened to him." 

Harry chuckled, feeling a bit better. Hermione was probably right; it was better to focus on the fact that no one got hurt. He hoped that the rest of the year went a bit more peacefully. Two battles in a little over a month was much more than he really wanted. 

But as he walked along, he couldn't help but wonder about what he'd done. _I nearly killed someone, _he thought, with a mix of fear and disbelief. 

Harry had used an extremely powerful spell against the injured wizard. Had he really needed to use that powerful of a spell? He couldn't find too much guilt within himself about it; the Death Eater had clearly been a threat. 

He had been trying to avoid the thought for months, but there couldn't be any question that his powers were growing very strong. Confusion rose in him as a mix of emotions played themselves out... pride... fear... and if he was completely honest with himself... 

Harry felt very disturbed as he realized that he had a certain amount of exhilaration from using his power and taking control of events that had always seemed out of his control. 

* * * 

As word spread about the Hogsmeade attack, Harry noticed that many of students were giving him a lot of looks, the younger ones looking particularly more fearful than usual. Parvati made a point of running up to him and giving him a huge hug with tears in her eyes, glad that he was all right. She thanked him profusely for "protecting" her and the other students, causing Harry great embarrassment. 

Entering into Snape's class with Ron and Hermione, he noticed Malfoy giving him a smirk. He felt irritation rising. 

"Well, the great hero graces us with his presence," Malfoy said, giving Harry a sarcastic bow. 

"Sod off, Malfoy," said Harry. 

"Don't you want to tell the class about your daring deeds, Potter? I'm certain we're all dying to hear the story," Malfoy said with a drawl. 

Harry glared at him, seething. 

"And where were you, Malfoy? Were you cowering in fear somewhere, or were you just taking notes for your Death Eater merit badge?" Ron said. 

The Gryffindors laughed loudly, as well as many of the other students, although a bit more nervously. 

Snape entered the class, looking around suspiciously. Silence immediately descended over the classroom as he took his place at the front, calling the role. 

"Well. Everyone certainly seems... _cheerful_... today," Snape said, curling his lip. "Of course, why shouldn't everyone be cheerful? Potter has saved the day once again." 

Harry sat stunned, hatred rising far beyond his normal standards with Snape. He expected no less from Malfoy, but he'd figured Snape would at least give him a tiny bit of respect. He looked down at his textbook, not wanting to make the situation worse. 

"Weren't you about to regale us with the story, Potter? Don't let me stop you. It's only _class time,_" Snape said. 

Harry kept his eyes locked on his textbook, trying to read a paragraph. He could sense Hermione looking at him worriedly. 

"No details, Potter? Don't you want to explain to us how you recklessly took on three Death Eaters by yourself, rather than waiting for the Aurors? But then, why would you wait? Then you wouldn't be able to be... _the hero,_" Snape said, smirking. 

"That low-life scum," Harry heard Ron say below his breath. 

Snape's speech was so patently unfair that Harry couldn't help but look up in disbelief. "I'm not reckless," Harry said coldly, almost shaking with rage. 

"No, Potter? Then perhaps you could explain why you chose to put everyone in the street in danger; why you chose to fight them yourself?" Snape said, equally coldly. 

Something snapped in Harry. He rose angrily to his feet. "_You... you weren't there! How do you know what I did? You..." _Harry shouted, his fists clenched tightly. 

"Sit down, Potter," Snape said quietly. 

Harry seethed, wanting to say more, but trying desperately to control himself. 

"Sit down!" Snape snapped. 

Harry sat down in his seat fiercely, his anger growing by the second. _That isn't the last word on this, _he thought. _I swear it. _He felt something inside himself growing out of control... 

Suddenly he heard a loud twisting of metal, and the door to the classroom blew straight out and hit the wall outside the corridor with a deafening noise, before it fell to the floor with another loud crash. 

There was dead silence in the room as the students stared in shock at the broken door and twisted hinges. Harry could feel their eyes sliding between the door and himself. He glanced over at Hermione, who had a stunned expression on her face. He looked back over at Ron, whose jaw was hanging open. Since there didn't seem to be a safe place to look, he just gazed at Snape expressionlessly and pretended nothing had just happened. 

Snape had a very calculating look on his face as he gazed back at Harry. 

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor for destruction of school property," he said coldly, and began his lesson. 

* * * 

_A/N: Valentine's Day coming up? Surely something has to happen on Valentine's Day, right? Maybe... :)_

_Thanks and more thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. And Chapter 20 seems like a good time to thank all of you reviewers once again. I'll just repeat that when the words aren't flowing well, and I need motivation, it's nice to know that there's someone out there enjoying the story, so keep them coming!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	22. Chapter 21 Valentines

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 21: Valentines_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Ron rolled over onto his back, lying awake late at night in his bed. Unable to sleep, he sighed and ran his hands through his hair. Soft snores sounded around him as he stared up into the darkness, barely making out the curtains of his bed. 

_I've got to do something, _he thought desperately. _I'm cracking up._

Having Hermione stay with him while he was in the infirmary had pushed him to the breaking point. Waiting for some sort of sign wasn't an option anymore. He had hoped Joseph was a temporary thing, but it was lingering far longer than anticipated. 

A knot of fear ran through his stomach as he contemplated admitting his feelings to her. He rolled back onto his side, clutching his pillow, and reviewed what he knew for the hundredth time that year. 

_I've shown her I can be serious about studying, _he thought. She appeared to compliment some of his work; maybe she respected him a bit more now? _Certainly I must have proven that the Runt isn't the only one who wants to study with her, _he thought grimly.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder whether she fancied him at all. It was a huge risk admitting his feelings. What if all she wanted was to be a friend? He could totally mess everything up. 

Frustrated, he threw off the covers and got out of bed. Sleep didn't seem to be possible, so he walked over to the window and sat on the sill. He looked out at the moon, peeking through the late winter clouds and giving them an eerie glow. 

_Should I talk to her? _he thought. _I need to do it. Somehow, I need to find a way to do it. _But even as the thought entered his mind, his doubts seemed to cause him to sit on the fence in indecision. 

Putting on his robe, he opened the door to the dormitory and went down to the common room to sit by the fire for a while. Horrible scenarios of Hermione's reaction filled his head: looking at him like he had gone mad, or laughing at him, assuming he must be joking. 

As he came off the stairs, he noticed someone was already sitting in a chair, staring in the fire deep in thought. 

"Ginny! What are you doing up?" Ron asked. 

Ginny appeared startled as she turned. "Ron! Hi. Couldn't sleep; guess I felt like sitting for a few minutes." 

Ron nodded as he took a chair across from her next to the fire. "Yeah. Me too. How are OWL studies going?" 

"Oh, murderous, of course," she said with a smile. "But I'm getting along okay." 

"Good," Ron said, propping his chin with his hand as he looked at the fire. 

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked. "Um, anything you want to... talk about?" 

Ron looked at his sister appraisingly. _Ginny knows Hermione pretty well... maybe I can get something out of her without her realizing it._

"Ginny... can I ask you a question?" Ron asked tentatively. 

"Sure," she replied. 

"I mean, hypothetically speaking..." Ron started. 

"All right," she said, blinking at him. 

"Let's say a bloke I know... er, fancies a certain girl..." Ron said, his face growing a bit warm despite himself. He was glad that the room was rather dark. 

"A bloke you know, right," Ginny said, nodding, with a serious expression. 

"Yeah. But he's not certain if, um, the girl fancies him back..." Ron said. 

"Sounds like a tricky problem," Ginny said. 

"_Yeah,_" Ron said, with emphasis. "How should... er, the bloke, figure out what to do? How can he know if he should tell her or not?" 

Ginny looked like she was giving the matter some serious thought. "Well, have the two known each other for long?" 

"Yes, quite a long time," Ron answered, a bit glumly. 

"Are they good friends?" Ginny asked. 

"Yeah, I think so..." Ron said, trailing off. 

Ginny smiled at him. "Does he love her?" 

Ron gulped, squeezing his eyes tight before opening them again. The question had struck to the heart of all his fears and frustration. 

"I – I think he does," he said quietly. 

"Then I think... the bloke... should tell her," Ginny said, also quietly. 

Ron looked at Ginny for a few seconds, before turning to the fire. They both gazed into the flames, deep in thought, for several minutes. _Ginny's right, _Ron thought. _It's time to tell her_. 

"Thanks, Ginny," Ron said. "I'll... er, tell the bloke what you said. I guess I'll head back up." He got up from the chair. 

"Good night, Ron," Ginny said, smiling. "I think I'll head up, too. One more thing, though..." 

Ron turned back around curiously. 

"The girl might have much stronger feelings than the bloke realizes," Ginny said, giving him a meaningful look. 

Ron swallowed and nodded slowly at her, before he went back up the stairs and to sleep. 

* * * 

The next day, Ron sat at a table in the common room doing his homework with Harry and Hermione. He had been walking around in a stupor the whole day, trying to figure out how to talk to Hermione. Now that he had made the decision, the exact method by which he should tell her seemed an impossible decision. 

He glanced over, Hermione's bushy brown hair tucked behind her ear as she concentrated on her work. _How do I tell you? _he thought. 

Then it struck him – Valentine's Day was coming up. That would be a perfect time to do the deed. But how? Give her a card? 

_Nah, _he thought. _I need to do this right._ No cards. He needed to be a man about it and say it out loud. But he couldn't just _do it, _in front of everyone. Where should he do it? 

_Outside somewhere, _he thought. _Yeah, that's the ticket. _He needed to get her away from the castle. Maybe go for a walk. And while they were walking, he could tell her. He snapped his fingers. 

"What?" Hermione looked up, distracted by the finger snap. 

"Nothing, sorry," Ron said, smiling at her. 

She smiled back as she went back down at her essay. 

_All right, Weasley. Valentine's Day is in two days. You better get this done_, he thought. Visions of the Ball in his fourth year came back to him, when he had been too late to ask her. He drummed his fingers on the desk, trying to think of a strategy. First, he needed to get rid of Harry temporarily. He had an idea... it wasn't completely above-board, but... 

Ron carefully looked down at his parchment and then 'accidentally' knocked his inkwell over, straight at Harry. The ink ran across the table, straight into his lap. 

"Augh!" Harry shouted, standing up. Ron reached over and quickly pulled Harry's essay out of the line of fire. 

Ron pasted an expression of surprise on his face. "Sorry, mate! Terribly clumsy of me." 

Harry appeared surprised, but unruffled. "No problem. I'll just run up and change." Harry got up from table and headed upstairs. 

_Now, do it, Weasley. You only have a few minutes, _he thought nervously. His stomach started twisting like it was trying to unscrew itself and climb out his throat. 

"Um... Hermione?" he asked tentatively, his voice quavering a bit. 

"Yes?" She said, looking up again. 

"Erm..." _Just do it, Weasley... _"What-do-you-think-of-this-paragraph?" he said, thrusting his essay at her. 

Hermione looked at him a bit oddly. "Well, let's see," she said, taking the parchment. She read it over quickly. "Looks fine to me, although most grammar guides recommend against that dangling participle." 

"Yeah... dangling is bad," Ron said, nodding, not caring in the least about anything that might be dangling. 

She went back to work on her essay as Ron's tried to muster his courage. _DO IT, WEASLEY! Harry will be back any minute!_

"Hermione?" he said, tentatively, feeling a bit light-headed. 

"Yes, Ron?" Hermione said, a bit annoyed at the latest interruption to her work. 

"Um..." said Ron, trying to find the words. 

"Yes?" she said impatiently. 

"Sunday!" he finally blurted out. 

Hermione blinked at him. "Sunday? What about Sunday?" 

"Um... Sunday... I was just wondering if..." Ron started, before running out of steam. 

"...Yes?" Hermione said, as if she was talking to someone who was rather dim witted. 

"if... if..." Ron said, the words seeming to stick in his throat. 

"What is it, Ron!?" said Hermione exasperatedly. 

"...walk... you and I... walk... on Sunday," he said, finally choking the words out. 

Hermione looked confused for a split second, then her face seemed to transform into surprise before settling on shock. Her quill fell out of her hand. 

"You... want to, er, _walk _on Sunday... _this particular _Sunday?" Hermione asked, her jaw hanging open. 

Ron nodded. "Y-Yeah." 

Hermione's hands suddenly flew to her mouth. "Oh! Ron... I can't. I just remembered..." 

"You... er, can't?" Ron said. 

"I promised to meet Joseph... for a picnic... on Sunday," Hermione said, biting her lip. "I don't know what time yet... but maybe later..." 

Ron felt like his heart was shattering into a million pieces. "Oh... well, I don't want to interrupt your day... um, sorry... never mind..." he said, feeling like crawling away and dying somewhere. 

Harry chose that moment to sit back down at the table, looking at the two of them a bit oddly as he sensed the tension at the table. 

Ron went back to his work, feeling utterly wretched. _She's going on a Valentine picnic with the Runt! _he thought miserably. _That can only mean one thing. She fancies him. _He sighed silently as he told himself he'd just have to be satisfied with being her friend and nothing more. 

* * * 

Hermione walked along the lake with Joseph, a crisp chill in the air. The sky was a brilliant blue for once; the weather lately had been stormy and gray. Joseph was carrying a picnic basket as well as blanket. Hermione was curious about the picnic spell he was going to try, but was finding it hard to really concentrate. 

Her thoughts kept going back to Ron and exactly why he wanted to take a 'walk' on Valentine's Day, of all days. It had seemed important to him, but she couldn't bring herself to assign too much significance to it. 

"How about here?" Joseph said, pointing to a nice flat spot by the lake with a good view. 

"That looks like a nice spot," Hermione said, smiling. 

Joseph smiled back as he took out his wand. He waved it at the ground, casting a spell. The snow on the ground melted away to reveal the ground underneath, and then grass appeared to sprout out of the ground. He grinned at her. "Pretty neat, huh? It's not actually real grass; it's just an illusion, but it also warms up the ground and the air." 

He spread the blanket down on the ground, and Hermione joined him as they sat down. She noticed that the ground and air did seem noticeably warm. She took off her coat and put it aside. It was very odd to sit in a small warm zone while being surrounded by snow and frost. 

Joseph opened up the basket and began pulling out an assortment of food. He handed Hermione a sandwich and took one for himself. 

"You know, it's so funny that you're a Gryffindor and not a Ravenclaw," Joseph said conversationally as he took a bite of his sandwich. "I know you mentioned that the Sorting Hat considered you for Ravenclaw, but it's still odd. You just don't seem like a Gryffindor somehow." 

"How do you mean?" Hermione asked. 

"Well, obviously you're very smart, and generally Ravenclaw is where smart people are put," he said. 

"Thank you," Hermione said, feeling flattered. 

"But it's not just that..." Joseph continued. "Gryffindors tend to be... well, a bit reckless, don't you think? I mean, they'll talk about honor and fair play, but if they think there's a good reason, they'll break rules at the drop of a hat. But you're not like that." 

Hermione didn't quite know whether to take that as a compliment or not. She had to admit that she'd done her share of rule breaking when it had been necessary. "Well, I suppose that a _little _rule breaking is needed on occasion," she said cautiously. 

Joseph nodded. "I suppose in an emergency, but who should judge when it's a good time? I mean, the ones that are most willing to throw away the rules are the ones that tend to be least equipped to make a good decision," he said, a bit arrogantly. 

Hermione felt somewhat disturbed by his statement. "Er, how do you mean?" 

"Obviously you're an exception, but if the average Gryffindor was smart, they would be in Ravenclaw. But they're the ones that tend to cast spells and ask questions later," he said. 

Hermione took a bite of her sandwich, trying not to take offense at his statement and bring a negative note to the day. But she felt like she had to defend her fellow Gryffindors. 

"You know, a lot of Gryffindors are smart – Harry does fairly well and Ron's marks have been really good this year. Ron's brother Percy scored twelve OWLs," she said. 

Joseph shrugged. "The exceptions prove the rule. And I'm certain you've been helping Potter and Weasley." 

Hermione found herself growing a bit irritated at his assumptions about Gryffindors, but decided to let it go. She changed the subject, asking him about the Arithmency essay they had recently turned in. They spent a while discussing school work, Hermione happy to find a safer subject to discuss. 

Later on, Joseph looked over at her shyly. "You know, I was... really concerned when I heard that you were so involved in that attack in Hogsmeade," he said. 

"Oh, well, it was a bit frightening," Hermione said. "But Harry took care of them. You should have seen him, actually... it was pretty impressive magic." 

Joseph frowned. "It's not really my place to say... but... have you ever thought that... well, it's a bit unsafe around him?" 

"How do you mean?" Hermione said, feeling uneasy at the question. 

"Well, I just mean that... he... manages to find a lot of trouble, don't you think?" Joseph said carefully. 

"That's not his fault," Hermione said forcefully, feeling a bit peeved at the turn of conversation, but trying to hide it. 

"I don't mean that it's _totally _his fault!" Joseph said quickly. "Only that..." 

"Yes?" 

"Obviously you know him better than anyone, but you must have heard the rumors about him..." said Joseph. 

"Which rumors?" Hermione said, trying to keep her voice level. 

"Well, that he's a bit... unbalanced," said Joseph, biting his lip. "I mean, I know he's your friend, but sometimes I... worry about you." 

"He's not unbalanced!" Hermione said, her voice rising a bit. "You don't believe that rubbish from last year that Voldemort hasn't returned, do you?" 

"No! I mean, clearly he has returned... but, Hermione... what about Snape's class? I'm not there, but some of my friends talk about it... they're starting to feel a bit afraid." 

"Harry would never hurt anyone!" Hermione said. 

"How do you know?" Joseph asked. "Can you honestly say he didn't hurt that wizard in Hogsmeade? Supposedly he almost killed him!" 

"Yes, because he attacked us!" Hermione said, growing a bit heated. 

"But did he have to almost kill him? And what happens the next time he gets mad at someone?" 

"Harry has been fighting against Dark Wizards since he was eleven years old. And you think he's suddenly going to start attacking people for no reason?" Hermione asked. 

"But isn't that part of the problem? How many people are getting attacked _because _of all the fighting against You-Know-Who?" Joseph asked earnestly. 

Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "What on earth are you talking about?" 

"Shouldn't we be finding out exactly what You-Know-Who wants? But instead, the war mongers at the Ministry of Magic just keep attacking him and his followers. It just creates a cycle of violence," he said. 

"But Voldemort is killing people!" Hermione said, wondering exactly what Joseph's point was. 

"Yes, and obviously I don't support that... but shouldn't we look at the root causes of _why _he's killing people? And why people follow him? By attacking him and his followers constantly, we're just making him angry, causing him to attack _more _people!" 

"What do you think we should do, then?" Hermione said, growing a bit heated. 

"We should negotiate with him! Someone has to stop the cycle of violence. But those idiots at the Ministry will never stop. They _like _fighting! If they didn't fight, then they couldn't justify their love of killing people." 

"You can't negotiate with Voldemort!" Hermione said, her voice rising. "He wants to take over the world!" 

"Well, that's what the _Ministry_ wants you to believe, at least," Joseph said, rolling his eyes. "I don't believe a word of what they say." 

"I've seen what he's done. He did the Cruciatus curse on Harry," Hermione said, trying to lower her voice. 

Joseph shrugged. "I'm not certain we know the whole story there. We only know Potter's side of the story." 

Hermione felt her irritation rising again. "I believe him," she said quietly. "And I believe that Harry will defeat Voldemort." 

"You mean, kill him," Joseph said bitterly. 

Hermione blinked at him. "Well, yes. What else can we do?" 

"I don't believe in capital punishment," Joseph said. "What if Voldemort was really innocent of all this? What if he could be rehabilitated? At most, he should be put in Azkaban, not that I believe that place is run in a positive manner." 

"Voldemort is one of the most powerful wizards in history. Do you really want to take a chance that he might escape again?" Hermione asked. 

"Do you really think a civilized society ought to be _killing _people?" Joseph replied. 

"If I had the chance, I would kill Voldemort without hesitation. And at the very least, I'll be standing with Harry when he does it," Hermione said firmly. 

Joseph looked mulish. "Well, I'm certain Potter would have no hesitation about killing people." 

"That's it!" Hermione said angrily, rising to her feet. "I'm tired of you taking potshots at Harry." 

"Hermione!" Joseph said, wide eyed. "Wait... I'm sorry, let's leave Potter out of this...I just... just... care about you." 

Hermione stood, her arms crossed. 

"I don't think you'd really kill someone," Joseph said quietly, looking down at the blanket. 

Somehow this irritated Hermione even more. "Do you think I'm not brave enough?" 

"No! Just..." Joseph started. 

"Believe it," she said firmly. "If someone I loved was being attacked by a Death Eater, or I had the opportunity to kill Voldemort, I would do it. And frankly, I think you're living in a fantasy if you think Voldemort is anything other than an evil that has to be defeated." 

Joseph looked angry. "Well, I guess _Potter _means a bit more to you than I thought. If _he _says someone has to be killed, then I guess that's all right." 

"Harry is not some war mongering murderer!" Hermione shouted, not bothering to lower her voice any longer. 

"Isn't he? You know, I'm not the only one who thinks so! A lot of people think he's getting out of control," Joseph shouted back. 

"Fine! Then go be with _those _people. And when Harry defeats Voldemort, he won't just be saving the people who supported him, he'll be saving you, your family... do you _really _think you're safe?" Hermione said, shouting very loud now. "You're Muggle born! You'll be one of the first ones targeted!" 

Hermione stalked off, enraged. Joseph got up to his feet, shouting after her. 

"The Sorting Hat was right... You _are _a Gryffindor... you're just like them!" he said bitterly. "You just want to continue the violence... I thought you were different. You know, I gave you the benefit of the doubt! I figured it was Potter who dragged you into all those incidents, but maybe it wasn't. Maybe you _like _breaking rules... maybe you _are _capable of more than I thought." 

Hermione stopped and turned back to face him. "You know what, Joseph? You're right. I _am_ a Gryffindor. And I do break rules. Ask Rita Skeeter what I'm capable of," she said coldly, and left him standing by himself. 

* * * 

Ron roamed the corridors of Hogwarts aimlessly, thoughts of Hermione filling his head. He'd had some crazy thoughts going up to the Astronomy Tower to try and spy on them through the telescopes, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. 

_Valentine's Day, _he thought bitterly. _What a rubbish holiday. _Why had he waited so long? Why didn't he just come out and tell her straight away? He'd had so many chances, and now this Joseph git was seemingly locked in. _They'll probably get married and have little runty children, _he thought sullenly. 

He wandered about some more until he found himself at the main doors of Hogwarts. He bit his lip as he peered at the door. _They're out there, _he thought. _Together. Doing Merlin knows what. _The thought was killing him. He impulsively lunged toward the doors, throwing them open. 

_I'm not going to go look for them, _he thought. _Just need a breath of fresh air. That's the ticket. A little cool air to clear the head._

He walked out and sat down on the topmost step, resting his head on his hands glumly. It started to occur to him that sitting there, he might catch them coming back, and he definitely didn't want to see that, or even worse, have Hermione see him waiting for them. 

He was just getting up when he saw Hermione running back, crying heavily. All thoughts of her wondering why he was out there left his head as he ran over to meet her. 

"Hermione! What's wrong?" Ron asked, very concerned. 

"Oh, Ron! I had a fight with Joseph..." she started. 

"He made you cry?" Ron said, outraged. "I'll kill the bloody git!" He started striding back the way she came, but Hermione grabbed his arm. 

"No! Please, Ron... it's all right. He said some awful things about Harry. I just want to... forget about it. I never want to see him again." 

Ron felt a bit ashamed at how good he felt hearing that. "Are you all right?" he asked. 

"Yes," she said, sniffling. She paused, gazing at him meaningfully. "Now I am." She continued to look him in the eye. 

Ron felt extremely nervous. "Erm, Hermione?" 

"Yes, Ron?" she said. 

"Would you... go for a walk with me?" he asked tentatively. 

Hermione smiled at him. "I'd love to." 

They began walking along the lake, the other direction from where Hermione had come from. Ron glanced over quickly, seeing Hermione keeping her gaze at the ground carefully. He felt a chill, since he'd left without a coat, and he noticed that Hermione wasn't wearing one, either. 

"Where's your coat?" Ron asked, trying to get the conversation started. 

"I left in such a hurry that I forgot it," Hermione said. 

"Oh. I would give you mine... except, er, I forgot mine, too," Ron said, feeling like an idiot and wishing he could think of something else to say, but Hermione smiled at him. 

"Thanks, anyway," she said. 

Another silence descended between them as Ron desperately tried to think of how to say what he needed to say. 

"Hermione?" he asked tentatively. 

"Yes?" she asked, a bit too quickly. 

"I'm glad... we're walking," he said nervously. 

She nodded, appearing a tad disappointed. 

_How the bloody hell do you just say these things? _he thought, agonized. 

"Um... um..." he started. 

"Yes?" Hermione asked, turning toward him. 

"I... I..." he continued. "Today's Valentine's Day!" he blurted out. 

Hermione blinked. "Yes, I know..." she said. 

"And... I wanted to _walk_ with you... _today,_" he said meaningfully. 

"Oh, Ron! I wanted to... _walk_... with you today, too!" Hermione said, stopping and looking up at him. 

"You did?" he asked cautiously. 

"Yes, I _really _did," she said. 

"I... I've really wanted to, er, walk with you for a long time," Ron said, feeling like he was coming apart at the seams. 

"I've been waiting _so long _to walk with you!" Hermione said, her eyes tearing up a bit. 

Ron felt a surge of hope, but wondered if they were talking about the same thing. "Hermione..." 

"Yes, Ron?" she asked, looking very hopeful. 

"Do you think we could, um, walk, um, _together_... from now on?" he asked, his anxiousness reaching a crescendo. 

"Yes, Ron!" she said excitedly and then reached up, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him hard on the lips. 

She pulled away, appearing mortified. Blushing furiously, she ran back to the castle. 

Ron stood in a stupor, his whole body tingling as he reached up and felt his lips where Hermione had kissed him. A smile slowly broke out on his face as he realized that maybe, just maybe, they had been talking about the same thing. 

* * * 

Ron lay in his bed, his pillow hugged to his chest. He had been tossing to and fro for hours, unable to sleep at all. He hadn't seen Hermione since the kiss; she had shut herself away in her room, missing the evening meal. Harry had asked where she was, but Ron had just mumbled a non-response, causing Harry to shrug it off. 

_What happened today? _he asked himself again. Something had happened, but he couldn't identify exactly what. All he knew was that something had changed, Hermione had kissed him, and he had no idea where to go from here. 

_Bloody hell, I'll never sleep like this, _Ron thought. He had to get this figured out, or he thought he'd never sleep again. Visions of her kiss kept running through his head. A germ of an idea started forming in his mind... It was risky. Very risky. But he was going to go nutters if he didn't do something. 

Making a decision, he quietly exited his bed. He grinned in the dark, feeling a bit roguish. 

"Pssst! Harry!" he said quietly, poking his head through Harry's curtains. 

"Wha...? Ron?" Harry said sleepily. 

"Yeah... can I borrow the cloak?" Ron whispered. 

"Mrrebla... whatever..." Harry mumbled, before beginning to snore again. The response was good enough for Ron.__

He silently opened up Harry's foot locker and pulled out the invisibility cloak. He then pulled out the climbing shoes and gloves from his own and put them on. Chortling a bit, he put the cloak over his head. 

He silently crept down the stairs into the common room, the tower dead silent. He warily eyed the stairs to the Girls' Dormitory, recalling what happened last time he tried to go up there, when the stairs turned into a slide. 

He climbed up the wall just to the side of the stairs, the shoes and gloves sticking to the wall perfectly. He noticed that they seemed to know when to stick and when to come away from the wall as he climbed up to the common room ceiling to test them out. He then crawled around the corner onto the stairwell wall. Looking down, everything appeared normal as he continued to climb along the wall paralleling the stairs. 

Finally he reached Hermione's landing. He'd never been up there before, but he knew what floor she was on. Not taking any chances, he crept along the wall until he was right next to the door. He eased the door open and peeked inside. It was very dark, but there was close to a full moon that night, so there was a fair amount of light in the room. 

The dormitory looked a lot like the boys', but was decorated with a girl's touch. On one side of the room were two beds that were obviously Parvati and Lavender's beds. Many frilly items were strewn about, and both had crystal balls on their dressing tables. 

Ron eased down the wall, putting a toe down inside the threshold of the door. He paused, waiting for anything to happen, but all was silent. He gingerly put all his weight on the floor and sneaked all the way in. He silently closed the door behind him. 

He glanced around the room, trying to figure out which bed was Hermione's. He chuckled to himself. He saw a bed across the room that could only be hers. It had a number of very high bookshelves surrounding the bed, filled with books. Her dressing table was completely devoid of any sort of make-up; looking like it only had a basic brush and comb. Her bed area was neatly organized with everything aligned perfectly. 

Ron tiptoed over to the bed, starting to feel nervous about the whole thing. He pulled out his wand and cast a silencing charm over the bed.__

He pulled his head out of the cloak and stuck it through the curtains. There he saw Hermione, sleeping peacefully. His breath caught as he saw her. He stopped, just watching her for a minute and smiling. 

"Psst, Hermione..." he said quietly. 

She stirred a bit before opening her eyes and saw him. "Ron?" she said sleepily before her eyes suddenly snapped open. "Ron!" she hissed at him. "What are you _doing_?" She sat up in her bed, pulling herself out of the covers and sitting up against the headboard. 

Ron couldn't help grinning at her. "I wanted to say hello," he said. 

"We're going to get in _so much trouble_!" she said, holding her hands to her mouth. "Get in here!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him in, quickly closing the curtains. "And be quiet!" 

"I cast a silencing charm over the bed," he said, smirking a bit. 

Hermione grabbed her wand off the night table and lit up the interior of the bed. 

"How did you get up here?" she asked, curious despite herself. 

Ron took off the gloves. "I guess you were right... these _are_ only good for rule breaking," he said, snickering. 

"Ron, it's not funny!" Hermione said, annoyed. "Why are you _here?_" 

Ron's laughter tapered off as he suddenly thought that was an extremely good question. Why exactly _was _he there? 

"Erm, well," he started, casting around for something to say. "I was... er, wondering if you were feeling all right... not being at dinner and all." 

Hermione blushed. "I'm fine... I just wasn't... hungry." 

"Yeah, not hungry," Ron said, nodding. He bit his lip, trying to find some way to say what he needed to say. "Erm, I guess... I... wanted to talk to you." 

"Couldn't it wait until tomorrow?" Hermione asked with a frown. 

"Hermione... I... really liked our walk today," Ron said. 

Hermione's face took on a shy expression as she looked away a bit. Her finger traced circles on her blanket nervously. "I enjoyed it, too..." 

Abruptly all the feelings that had been building up burst out of him. "And I... I... really like... _you_... I mean, I like walks, too," Ron's eyes were darting around the bed. "but I... well... think you're really..." 

"Really what, Ron?" Hermione asked eagerly. 

Ron cleared his throat. "...really, um, fantastic. And smart. And fun to be with. And..." his voice dropped to a whisper. "pretty." 

Hermione blinked at him, stunned. "You think I'm... pretty?" 

"Oh, yeah," Ron said, nodding. 

They gazed into each other's eyes for several seconds, and then slowly leaned toward each other, Hermione's eyes closing. Their lips touched, kissing each other for several seconds. Ron felt like his body was disconnected from his head as all he seemed to sense was kissing her. 

They pulled away from each other. Hermione opened her eyes and whispered. "_That's _what it's supposed to be like." 

"Pardon?" Ron asked, confused. 

Hermione smiled. "Never mind," she said and leaned in to kiss him again for a few more seconds. 

"Oh, Ron... that was wonderful... but you better go," she said reluctantly. 

Now that things were out in the open, Ron felt a huge relief sweep over him. He didn't want to just _go, _now that he had finally admitted everything. He was feeling much bolder now that he knew that she felt the same way. 

He moved a bit closer, grinning at her. Hermione turned her head, but Ron whispered in her ear. "I just got here..." He reached up and pulled her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. 

"Ron..." Hermione said, shaking her head. "We're going to get in trouble!" 

"Admit it," he said, kissing her ear. "You like trouble." 

"I most certainly do not!" she said primly, but tilted her head back a little. 

"The Polyjuice potion," he whispered. "You _wanted _to sneak down to the dungeon with us..." 

"Well, it would have been a _little _interesting to see it..." Hermione said reluctantly. 

"Remember when you smacked Malfoy? You were a bad girl..." Ron said, kissing her cheek. 

Hermione sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. "Well... well, he deserved it..." 

"A bad, bad girl... even your first year... sneaking out with us... lying to the teachers..." Ron reached up and stroked her hair as he kissed along her jaw line. 

"Oh... Ron..." she whispered. 

"You're a Gryffindor... you love trouble," Ron said, kissing a line down her neck. "You love danger... all your roommates around us... they might catch us..." 

Abruptly Hermione turned and began kissing Ron aggressively, throwing her arms around his shoulders. Ron fell backwards on the bed as Hermione fell on top of him, kissing all the way. 

_Great Merlin, what was I waiting for? _he thought, as he wrapped his arms around her as well. They kissed passionately for quite some time; Ron's heart racing as he felt her soft hair cascading about his face. 

Ron rolled her over and propped himself up on an elbow, looking down at her, just gazing at her face on the pillow as she looked back up at him. He wanted to memorize her looking like this, pretty and vulnerable, not in a rush to the library, or to do homework. She was just there with him. He hardly could believe it... there was no Vicky, no Runt; she was with him and only him. 

"What?" she asked, embarrassed. 

"Nothing... just... looking," he replied, smiling. "I like looking at you." 

Hermione swallowed, feeling moved. She reached up and felt his hair, causing Ron's breathing to grow more labored. She pulled him back down to her and they began kissing again. Ron took his free hand and stroked her face as they kissed. 

Finally they broke away and Ron lay down next to her. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in. Hermione sighed happily as she nestled into him, resting her head on his shoulder. They laid quietly for several minutes. 

"What are we going to tell Harry?" Ron asked, wondering exactly how this was going to affect things. 

"I don't know..." Hermione said. 

"It's going to be a shock to his system," Ron said, frowning. "I mean, this will be coming out of nowhere to him!" 

"You're right," she replied. "We'll have to break it to him gently somehow." 

There was a long silence as Ron wondered about Harry, and enjoyed having Hermione next to him, her body feeling very warm. 

Ron smiled as he whispered to her. "So... you have all those books next to your bed. Any kissing spells in there?" he said, laughing quietly. He kissed the top of her head. 

"Ron!" Hermione said, a bit scandalized. She paused. "Well, there is one book..." 

"You're joking!" Ron said, shocked. 

Hermione turned to him and smiled with a rather mischievous look on her face, causing a chill to go down Ron's spine. She got up and poked her head out of her curtains, and then pulled in an old book. Ron noticed that it had a French title that he couldn't read. 

"Wait a second..." she said, flipping through the book. "I've always wanted to try this one." 

Ron blinked at her. _She wanted to try a kissing spell!?_

She picked up her wand and looked at Ron with a small smile. "_Gusto Mellitus Basium!" _she said, touching her wand to his lips and then to hers. 

Ron felt a tingle in his lips. "Er, what did it do?" he said cautiously. 

Hermione looked at him teasingly. "Well, I guess you'll just have to find out, won't you?" 

Ron grinned, and then leaned over and kissed her. A sweet apple flavor filled his mouth as they kissed. 

"Whoa... that was good." Ron said, eyebrows raised. He kissed her again, and this time she tasted like peanut butter. "This is brilliant!" he said appreciatively. "It's like a Bertie Bott's kiss!" Hermione giggled. 

"Are there any more spells in that book?" Ron said appreciatively. 

"Well," Hermione said reluctantly. "There is this Firewhiskey one..." 

"Let's try it!" Ron said enthusiastically, reaching for the book. 

"Ron! It's intoxicating!" Hermione said, pulling the book out of his reach. 

"Oh," he said, disappointed, then grinned at her. "Well, maybe next time..." 

They kissed some more, causing various flavors to come forth. Fortunately, it was only pleasant flavors, unlike Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, which had some truly dreadful ones. 

Suddenly Hermione pulled back and frowned at him. "Ron, you're not doing it right!" she said loftily. 

Ron looked shocked. "What!? What's wrong with the way I kiss?" he said indignantly. 

Hermione snickered and then started laughing loudly. Ron's face fell. 

"Are you taking the mickey?" he asked suspiciously. 

"Yes," Hermione said, giggling at him. "Actually, you kiss wonderfully." 

"Bloody hell, don't do that to me," Ron said, clutching his heart. 

Hermione frowned again, appearing like a real frown. "Come to think of it, how _did_ you learn to kiss so well?" She looked at him suspiciously. "Who else have you been kissing?" 

Ron turned pink. _Damn, she is way too smart sometimes. _"Um, well, that is..." 

Hermione scowled. "Padma! I thought she seemed a bit too friendly in the infirmary!" 

"Erm, I mean, she just... er, we just snogged a _couple _of times... it isn't as if I _fancy _her or anything... not like you!" Ron said, talking fast and babbling a bit. 

"Hmph," Hermione said, not looking entirely convinced as she turned her back to him. 

"_Definitely_ not like you," Ron whispered in her ear. He started kissing her neck, working his way back to her mouth. She appeared to forgive him as she smiled and turned back around, kissing him back. 

They began kissing again, growing much more passionate. Ron felt himself growing very heated as his hands stroked her back and her hair. The material of her night gown was suddenly feeling very thin. 

They broke away, both breathing rather heavily. "Erm, Ron..." Hermione started. 

"Huh?" he said, feeling a bit dizzy. 

"Maybe... maybe it would be a good idea to, er, go to sleep now," she said, looking very shy. She continued quickly. "I mean, sleep in our own beds..." 

"Yeah," he said, blowing out a slow breath. 

He fumbled around for the cloak and the gloves, slipping them on. 

"Good night, Ron," she whispered. 

"'Night. Happy Valentine's Day," he said grinning at her. 

"Well, technically it's after midnight, so it's not Valentine's Day any longer..." she started, then bit her lip. "Oh, sod it. Happy Valentine's day," she said, smiling sheepishly. 

"Did you just say... never mind. 'Night." he replied, smiling goofily at her. He quickly leaned over for one last kiss before he left the bed. He seemed to float as he climbed back down the wall along the stairs. 

Some time later, he finally climbed back into his own bed. He fell asleep quickly; his dreams that night much more interesting than usual. 

* * * 

_A/N: One couple down, one to go. :)_

_Thanks again to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	23. Chapter 22 Pride and Ego

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 22: Pride and Ego_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Harry awoke with a huge yawn. He climbed out of bed with an odd feeling. He vaguely recalled Ron talking to him the previous night, but it may have been a dream... he wasn't certain. _Ah well, _he thought, as he dressed and noticed that Ron had already headed down to breakfast. 

He looked at his night table and saw a Valentine's Day card that Parvati had given to him the previous day. Fortunately, it hadn't made any dramatic confessions, but had only said she enjoyed spending time with him and hoped to do more soon. While he would have preferred to not receive the card, he felt that it could have been much worse. 

He had half-thought about giving Ginny something, maybe something relatively innocent, a friendship item. He wondered if maybe giving her something would give him some clue about her feelings about him, to give him more information, but... ultimately the day had passed without any action on his part. His thoughts of her had been extremely confused lately. 

He walked down the common room steps and saw that Ron and Hermione were talking together quietly, looking in an unusually good mood. He slowed, sensing something – odd. He peered closely at them, trying to spot exactly what was giving him pause. Shrugging his shoulders, he continued down the stairs. 

They gave Harry greetings at the same time, their voices overlapping, then looked at each other and giggled in a silly way. Harry blinked at them. 

They went down to breakfast. Ron was actually humming a tune, and Hermione was smiling far more than usual. Harry wondered if they had accidentally taken some sort of cheering potion. 

"Bloody he– I mean, drat," Ron said, glancing at Hermione. "Where's the bacon?" 

"I'll get you some, Ron!" Hermione said brightly. She picked up his plate and walked down the table until she found some and filled up his plate generously. 

All through breakfast, they glanced at each other and smiled. Harry was starting to seriously wonder if he should suggest they visit the infirmary. 

Later on that morning, they headed down to Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Harry had continued to watch them, and there could be no doubt that they were far too cheerful. He reviewed all the lessons they'd had recently, but he couldn't think of any that might have gone wrong to cause the symptoms he was seeing. 

"That's my chair! I sit there all the time!" said a Hufflepuff boy, as Harry entered into Snape's class with Ron and Hermione. 

"Too bad! I got here first," replied a Ravenclaw. "Next time get here earlier if you want it." 

"You better move..." said the Hufflepuff threateningly. They seemed to be fighting over a chair in the back of the class. 

They both abruptly stopped as they saw Harry walking into the class. They looked at each other, and then the Hufflepuff sighed and reluctantly moved toward a chair closer to the front. 

Harry felt irritated as he traveled over to his chair. He couldn't help but notice that a lot of students had been trying to keep to the back. Recent classes between himself and Snape had been growing more tense every time.__

"So, Potter, I guess we'll finally find out what a true fraud you are," Malfoy said with a smirk. 

Harry gritted his teeth. He really wasn't in the mood for Malfoy, who was standing by Harry's usual seat with crossed arms, apparently waiting for them. 

"What are you babbling on about, Malfoy?" Ron said, looking annoyed. 

"Of course, how silly of me. You lot are always the last to know anything, aren't you? You'll find out soon enough," Malfoy said, obviously enjoying himself. 

Harry just sat in his seat, deciding to ignore his taunting. Ever since the door incident, Malfoy had doubled his efforts in trying to annoy Harry, as if he was trying to get him to lose control once and for all. _Probably trying to get me expelled, _he thought. 

Snape glided into the room, the traditional silence following in his wake. After calling the role, he fixed the room with a cold stare. 

"I have an announcement," he said in his silky, soft voice. "I've decided that we're going to have a little... _fun_." He curled his lip, as if the word was one that he pulled out of an unpleasant corner of his mind. 

Harry felt a chill come over him. Anything that Snape thought was fun couldn't possibly be enjoyable for anyone else. 

"Since our class focus has been on skills useful for combat, I believe it would be prudent to gain practical experience in pressure situations," he said, pausing to let the thought sink in. 

"Erm, _pressure _situations?" said a Hufflepuff girl, her voice quavering a bit. 

Snape narrowed her eyes at her. "Yes, Miss Landry. Now if you will allow me to finish without interruption, I will explain." 

The girl cowered back into her seat, looking afraid. 

"As I was saying," he continued. "I want you to _experience _dueling when something depends on it. Namely, your marks in this class. We will be holding an in-class dueling tournament. The further you go in the tournament, and the better you do in each round, the better your mark will be. The format will be single elimination, with four draws, each draw seeded based on how well you've done so far in this class." 

A murmur went up in the room. Many students appeared excited about the idea, although other students looked very nervous. 

"I will post the draws at the end of class," Snape said. "There will be no homework. I _suggest _that many of you practice between now and the beginning of the next class when the tournament will begin." 

"Are there prizes if we win?" Seamus said excitedly. 

Snape glared at him. "Have we all forgotten how to raise our hands?" he said. Seamus slumped in his seat, abashed. 

Snape steepled his fingers as he continued. "To answer your question, Mr. Finnigan, there is one prize. The winner shall have the opportunity to earn extra credit in this class. The extra credit shall be earned by dueling... me." 

* * * 

Harry came down the common room stairs, ready to join Ron and Hermione for lunch. He'd made no more progress on figuring out exactly what was wrong with them. He slowed as he came down the stairs, spotting them in the common room, as he had this morning. He decided to get another surreptitious look to see if he could spot any other symptoms. 

They were standing rather close to each other, whispering in each other's ear... Ron had a goofy smile on his face... Hermione was giggling in a very un-Hermione-like way... and then suddenly it hit him. Harry ran back up the stairs in shock, needing a few seconds to recover. 

_Good lord, they finally did it, _he thought, grinning to himself. He wasn't the most perceptive bloke about these things, but there couldn't be any question about what he'd been seeing that day. Now that he'd figured it out, it was like a neon sign over their heads. In fact, he remembered last night... Ron had wanted to borrow the invisibility cloak. Harry chortled; they must have had a late night Valentine rendezvous. 

Pasting a nonchalant expression on his face, he started down the stairs again. He suppressed a chuckle as noted that Ron and Hermione immediately took a step back from each other as soon as he came in the room. 

"Ready for lunch?" Harry said. 

"Yeah, I'm starving," Ron said, a bit too cheery. 

As they went down to the Great Hall, Harry wondered about when they were planning to tell him. It finally dawned on him that they might be worried about his reaction, and he wondered if they really thought he didn't see it coming. 

They sat down at the table, Ron and Hermione sneaking glances at each other, but sitting carefully far apart. Harry, sitting across from them, spied Ginny down the table. 

"Be right back," Harry said. He noticed that Ron and Hermione were so wrapped up in each other that they hardly noticed him speaking. 

He moved down to Ginny, who looked up curiously. "Hi Harry. What's up?" she said. 

Harry leaned down and whispered to her. "Look at Ron and Hermione." 

Ginny peered over. Ron was whispering in Hermione's ear, and she was responding with a giggle. An expression of shock came to Ginny's face. 

"You don't think..." she said, a grin slowly creeping across her face. 

Harry nodded with a grin of his own. "They've been like that all morning." 

"Oh, this is just too good. Come on," Ginny said, picking up her plate. 

They went back and sat down across from Ron and Hermione, who immediately backed away from each other. 

"Hi Ron, Hermione," she said brightly, looking at them carefully. 

"Hey sis," Ron said, eating his lunch, but appearing rather nervous. 

"Hello, Ginny," said Hermione, looking equally nervous. 

Ginny glanced at Harry and took a bite of her food casually. "You know, you two look a bit different today," she said conversationally. 

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other before gazing down at their food. "Er, different?" Hermione said with a weak smile. 

"Yeah... can't quite put my finger on it," she said, rubbing her chin. 

"Dunno what it would be," Ron said, his eyes darting around and avoiding Ginny's gaze. 

"Still... Hermione, did you get a new book in the mail or something? You look excited about something, you know, like you have something new," Ginny said. 

"Um... no, no books," Hermione said, a blush rising to her face. 

"And Ron... did you get a good mark on an exam? You look really... relaxed," Ginny said innocently. 

"Relaxed... erm, slept well! Right! Last night," Ron said, nodding vigorously. "Yeah, nothing like a good night's sleep to relax a bloke. Er... right?" 

"Exactly," Hermione said. "I slept really well, too... last night. Slept _especially _well. That must be it." 

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, suppressing a grin. 

"You _both_... slept well last night?" Harry said, raising his eyebrows. "Interesting." 

"Well, of course, it's only a _coincidence _that we slept well together..." Hermione stammered. "I mean! I mean, we didn't sleep _together,_ of course, not that you would assume otherwise, but we slept well _at the same time, _last night, in our own beds, not that there would be any other way we would have slept..." 

"Yeah..." Ron said, blinking at her, a blush rising to his own face at Hermione's speech. 

"So what you're saying is that you slept _really _well," Ginny said. 

"Yes!" said Ron and Hermione together. 

Harry and Ginny looked at each other again, and finally couldn't help but start laughing. 

"What's so funny?" Ron asked, peeved. 

"There isn't anything you two want to tell me, is there?" Harry asked, with a grin. 

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and sighed. "Were we _that _obvious?" Hermione asked, embarrassed. 

Harry nodded at them, amused. "Sorry, but... yes." 

Hermione looked at him with a concerned expression. "Are you all right with this, Harry? All right with Ron and I... er, _going out_?" She said it as if she still didn't quite have a handle on the whole idea. "I mean, I know it must come as quite a shock to you..." 

Harry snorted. "I don't know if 'shock' is quite the right word. More like 'relief.'" 

Ron blinked at him, shocked. "What? You knew... er, that we might, er..." 

"I think it's safe to say that pretty much _everyone _saw it coming this year," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. 

Ron and Hermione both looked deeply embarrassed, but then laughed, as they all went back to eating their lunch and chatting. 

Later on, Harry noticed that Ron was oddly eating with his left hand, although he was certain Ron was right handed. Ron and Hermione's arms were suspiciously close to each other, disappearing under the table. He couldn't help smiling as he suspected they were holding hands under the table. 

* * * 

Harry walked into Snape's class, feeling a bit nervous about the tournament. He was feeling fairly confident about his Defense abilities, but even so, he didn't trust Snape to make the tournament fair. 

He had to admit that Snape had been true to his word about one thing. The seedings in the draws were honestly given based on marks in the class. There were thirty-two students in the class, which divided well into the four draws. Harry was seeded first in one draw, Hermione was seeded first in the second draw, along with Ron, who had a third seeding in the same draw. Neville, surprisingly, had the second seeding in the fourth draw. 

There was an excited murmur running through the class when Snape entered the classroom and moved to his podium to start the class. The murmur lasted longer than usual before dying out under Snape's glare. 

"So. It is time for the tournament. I _hope _that you have properly prepared yourself," Snape said, gazing at the class with distaste, as if his expectations for the class were very low. "Let me repeat that your performance _will _count as an exam. Each match will be three minutes or until one opponent is disarmed or stunned. If you are injured, you may forfeit the match at your discretion. If neither opponent scores a clear victory, I will judge the winner. The longer you last, depending on how strong your opponent is, the higher your mark will be. Any questions?" 

Hermione raised her hand. Snape peered around the room, appearing as if he wanted to ignore her, but finally gave her a cold look. 

"Yes, Miss Granger," Snape said in an impatient and annoyed voice. 

"Professor, what spells are allowed in the tournament?" she asked. 

"There are no restrictions. I doubt that any of you can produce any truly damaging hexes, but I would _suggest _not trying anything... fatal," Snape said smoothly. Harry noticed that a few of the lower-seeded students appeared very anxious at this. 

"First up. The number one seed versus the eighth seed in the first draw," Snape said crisply. "Potter versus Landry." 

Harry moved to the dueling area. Beatrice Landry was a Hufflepuff girl whom he knew was barely surviving in the class. She reluctantly got up from her seat, looking around at the other students as she joined him. Harry had talked to her a few times; she was always nice, and he felt a bit sorry for her. 

"Oh God, why did I have to get _you _in the first round? I'm barely hanging on as it is in this class," she said, whispering to him nervously. 

Harry smiled encouragingly at her. "Don't worry, just do your best," he said. 

She gave him a shy smile as she went over to one end of the dueling arena. Harry went to the other end. 

Snape walked in-between the two. "Potter, Landry, please bow to each other," he said. 

Harry and Beatrice bowed as Snape stepped back out of the arena. 

"Assume a dueling stance," Snape said. "On my word, you may begin." 

Beatrice looked extremely frightened as she pointed her wand out in front of her. Her hand was shaking slightly, and her eyes were wide. 

"Begin," snapped Snape. 

Harry, feeling rather bad for her, waited for her to cast the first spell. 

"_Stupefy!_" she shouted. The spell wasn't particularly strong, but it was competent. Harry easily blocked it. He waited for her to recover and get back in stance. 

She still appeared extremely nervous, so Harry slightly misaimed his return stunning spell. She looked panicked as she hurriedly tried to do a Protego spell, but then was relieved when Harry's spell missed her. 

She sent a bludgeoning spell toward him. Harry blocked it, but made a show of staggering backward, hoping that Snape would give her some credit for it. He sent back another stunning spell, but did it very slowly, and she was able to effectively block it. 

They traded another couple of spells, and finally Harry stunned her. 

Snape walked over and revived her. Beatrice got up and hurried back to her seat, looking very relieved that it was over. The students gave some polite applause. 

"Potter wins the match," he said, appearing unsurprised but displeased nonetheless. As Harry exited the dueling arena, Snape stopped him and spoke in a low voice. 

"Potter, you are not to do that again, or I will disqualify you," Snape said threateningly. 

"Do what, _sir_?" Harry said defiantly. 

"You are to dispatch your opponent as soon as possible. Do not toy with them or try to make them look better than they are," Snape said coldly. 

"She did very well. I'm sorry that I disappointed you," Harry said in clipped tones. "I'll try and do better next time." 

Snape glared at him angrily. "Do you think it's just about this class, Potter?" he hissed. "Even weak opponents can get lucky occasionally. Do not pity those who are less skilled than you. Treat everyone as a deadly enemy, and _dispatch them as soon as possible!_ Are you so arrogant that you think you can choose the moment of defeat? The longer a duel goes, the more likely your opponent will find a way to beat you." 

Snape turned away and walked back to his podium to announce the next pairing. Harry went back to his seat, seething at Snape. Ron and Hermione, noticing his mood, said nothing as he sat down. 

As he sat in his seat watching the next match, he slowly realized why he was so angry. He tried to avoid the thought, but there was no avoiding an inescapable fact: Snape was right. He had no business messing about in a duel. Isn't that how Sirius had died? Toying with Bellatrix? Not finishing her off as quickly as possible? Certainly this was just a tournament, but why was he here, except to practice for real battles? 

Toward the end of class, Harry felt much calmer and less irritated with the whole thing. He sighed as he promised himself he would take the rest of the rounds much more seriously. Hermione and Ron easily won their matches; there weren't too many upsets in the first round, although a couple of high-seeded Ravenclaws got bounced out, to their annoyance. They had superior knowledge, but went up against students who compensated by being faster duelers. Harry noted with pride that his DA members did very well. 

"That ends the first round," Snape said, with an expression of distaste. "Sixteen matches, sixteen winners. I hope that we will see more... competence in future rounds. In the next class we shall play the next two rounds. Although I know it's probably pointless, I hope that many of you will _attempt _to practice between now and then. Dismissed," he ended curtly. 

As Harry filed out the door, he saw Beatrice waiting for him, looking extremely shy. "Um, Harry?" she said, shuffling her feet. 

Ron and Hermione waited for him as he walked over to her. "Hi," Harry said, wondering what was up. 

"I... I just wanted to t-thank you... you know, for giving me a bit of a chance," she said nervously. She continued quickly, words seeming to pour out of her uncontrollably. "I mean, I know you didn't have to... and Merlin knows you could have won blindfolded... I mean, you're _Harry Potter_, well, of course you know who you are, but... I don't even know why you did it... you hardly even know who I am... not that you have any _reason_ to know who I am, I mean, I just..." 

She turned red in embarrassment. "Oh God, I'm just running off at the mouth. Just... thank you for not making me look completely foolish. You're just... _so nice!_" she finally finished emphatically. She impulsively leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, and then ran away down the corridor, looking mortified. 

Harry blinked, trying to catch up with what had just happened. He turned around and noticed Ron and Hermione grinning at him. 

"You're quite the chivalrous bloke, Harry," said Ron with a smirk. 

"All right, all right," Harry said, embarrassed, as they all began walking down the corridor. Although he still felt Snape was right in the end, and planned to take the rest of the rounds much more seriously, he decided that showing a little kindness wasn't a bad thing, either. 

* * * 

The Dueling Tournament was the talk of Hogwarts for several days; apparently Snape was holding one in each of his classes. The next class, Harry took the second round match much more seriously, quickly stunning a Hufflepuff, who didn't appear terribly surprised to lose. Ron also won his second round, scoring a minor upset over the second seed. 

As the matches continued; Ron began looking extremely nervous. If Hermione won her next match, he would face her in the next round. Finally it was Hermione's turn to duel, and as Ron watched, he leaned over and whispered to Harry. 

"I should have just lost before this round," he said forlornly. 

"You've been doing pretty well," Harry whispered back. "You have a chance." 

Ron looked at Harry like he'd lost his mind. "Is that a joke? Hermione knew more spells in her first year than I'll ever know in my life. Besides, how can I hex my... my... _girlfriend._" He said the final word in an even lower voice, as if the whole idea was difficult to say out loud. 

Harry laughed quietly. "Look, you have to play to your strengths. Hermione knows more spells than any of us put together, but her weakness is her speed. Dodge her spells rather than try to block them. Try and spell her quickly. And just treat her like any other opponent. You know that's what she'd want." 

Ron nodded, still unhappy. Hermione quickly dispatched her opponent, using a very odd curse that caused the student to grow scales all over his body. The scales grew over his eyes, causing him to be unable to see. He panicked, dropping his wand and begging Snape to undo the curse. Ron made a little moaning noise watching the process. 

When it was time for Ron and Hermione's match, Ron looked like a wreck as he got up from his chair. 

"Good luck, mate," Harry whispered to him, snickering. 

He seemed to pull himself together at the last second, however, as he managed to dodge several of Hermione's spells, to her obvious annoyance. Finally she launched an unusual curse that caused Ron's hand to grow hot and he dropped his wand, waving his hand around. 

"Ow! That one hurt!" Ron said, appearing a bit put out as he walked back to his chair with Hermione. 

"Well, Ron, we're supposed to win!" Hermione said officiously. 

"Hmph," said Ron. 

Hermione's expression softened as she smiled at him and whispered something in his ear, causing Ron to blush. He looked a lot happier about losing after that, causing Harry to think that the whole "going out" thing was going to take some getting used to. 

Harry easily won his second match as well. Neville had been impressive in his first match, even causing Snape to raise his eyebrows a bit, but he ended up losing his second match when he accidentally tripped on his robe, allowing his opponent to stun him. Finally the final four students were chosen: Harry, Hermione, a Ravenclaw student, and surprisingly, Malfoy. 

Malfoy had scored a couple of upset victories and was insufferably strutting about, bragging to anyone who would listen that he was going to win the tournament. Harry noticed that although Malfoy was putting on a good show, he kept glancing at Hermione, whom he was to take on in the semifinals. Harry chuckled as he noticed Hermione looking very irritated while she tapped her wand against her hand. 

The last day of the tournament finally arrived as Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the classroom. Harry's match was first; the Ravenclaw student tried to put up a good fight, launching spells very quickly, but Harry took Snape's advice to heart and launched a very powerful stunning spell that penetrated his shield and knocked him out quickly. It took Snape several tries to revive the student, but he finally woke up and staggered to his chair as the students applauded. 

Snape then called Hermione and Malfoy up to the arena. Malfoy had a smirk on his face, which lasted until he noticed Hermione, who looked positively predatory. Harry and Ron glanced at each other. 

"You ever think that Hermione's a little... scary, sometimes?" Ron whispered to Harry. 

Harry slowly nodded. He knew he would face her if she won, but somehow that fact was making him a lot more nervous all of a sudden. 

"Bow to each other," said Snape, curling his lip at Hermione, who appeared not to notice as she kept her eyes locked on Malfoy. 

"Assume your stance," continued Snape. 

"Begin!" snapped Snape, starting the round, but Malfoy had cast a Stupefy spell just before Snape announced the start. Fortunately, Hermione had been watching carefully and blocked it anyway. Snape pretended not to notice that Malfoy had cheated. 

Hermione then cast a long spell, which arced above Malfoy and came down directly on top of him, causing a bubble to appear over his head. Muffled grunting came from the bubble as Malfoy glanced over at Snape. 

"I hope you can hold your breath for the three minutes of the round, Malfoy," Hermione said, appearing even more frightening. "Unless you'd care to concede." 

Malfoy looked at her with an expression of pure hatred. He glanced over at Snape again, who appeared a combination of annoyed and derisive. Malfoy tapped the bubble with his wand, trying various spells. He began to panic as nothing he did made the bubble go away. Finally, his face turning a bit blue, he launched a couple of spells at Hermione, but missed her entirely. 

"Whenever you're ready, Malfoy," Hermione said, completely pitiless, as he staggered around. Finally he threw his wand away and gestured at the bubble frantically. Hermione slowly sauntered over, looking like she was taking a Sunday afternoon stroll. She casually invoked a spell and tapped the bubble, making it vanish as Malfoy collapsed on the mat, gasping for breath. 

The class applauded loudly, although most everyone was giving Hermione very uncertain looks. Even Snape appeared a bit unnerved at the manner in which she had taken out Malfoy. Hermione moved back to her chair, appearing exceedingly satisfied. Harry and Ron glanced at each other again, sharing the same thought they'd had before.__

Snape cleared his throat as he went back to his podium. "Well, this should be... entertaining," he said, smirking. "Potter versus Granger. The final round." 

Harry had built a lot of confidence in his abilities over the past school year, but suddenly he felt a knot of fear in his stomach. Hermione knew what he knew better than anyone, and there was no one more familiar with his abilities. Undoubtedly Hermione had done a lot of research for just this moment over the last few days, and had some sort of spell in mind to beat him. 

Hermione looked extremely determined as she took up her position. Harry pulled himself together... he needed to concentrate... be ready for anything... 

"Bow to each other," Snape said, actually appearing slightly interested for once. 

"Assume your stance... Begin!" 

Harry immediately launched a powerful stunning spell, intending to take Hermione out as quickly as possible. Hermione, expecting something, actually threw herself to the side, dodging the spell, and then tapped herself with her wand. She suddenly seemed to leap four feet to the left, moving incredibly fast. Harry blinked at her. _Did she cast some sort of fast movement spell?_

He launched a binding spell at her, ropes flinging out of his wand, but they missed her harmlessly. Abruptly a spell appeared to come out of nowhere aimed at him. Harry was caught completely off-guard as he threw himself to floor and quickly rolled back up. He looked wide eyed at Hermione, who appeared as if she was launching another spell... 

Another spell appeared to come from another direction. He barely blocked it; it wasn't a clean block, but fortunately his shields were strong enough that he didn't always need perfect blocks. He launched another stunning spell, but it seemed to miss... but it didn't miss... he cast a freezing spell, a petrifying spell, nothing seemed to affect her, she wasn't even bothering to block them... 

Spells were coming out of the air at him as Harry barely blocked them. He felt panicked... he didn't how she was doing it... it was almost as if she was able to launch her spells from somewhere other than herself... 

Suddenly all the clues slipped into place. He aimed four feet to the right of where she appeared to be standing. 

"_Stupefy!_" he shouted. "_Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!" _He launched a shower of spells into seemingly a blank space in the air. Hermione fell to the floor. Her body shimmered, then appeared where he had been aiming the stunning spells. 

Harry blew out a slow breath, breathing heavily. She had nearly done it. Leave it to Hermione to be clever and use an illusion charm like that, which had made her seem to be standing somewhere she wasn't. 

Snape walked over and revived Hermione, who appeared extremely disappointed. As she got up, however, the class gave her enthusiastic applause (with the exception of the Slytherins), finally making Hermione smile. 

"Sorry, Hermione," Harry said, as they sat down. He was happy that he'd won, but he felt bad for her. She had really tried something clever. 

"You were brilliant," Ron said to her admiringly. Hermione gave them both a wan smile. 

"Congratulations, Harry. You deserved to win," she said. 

"Well, let's face it... it could have gone either way. That was a nice trick; you almost had me," Harry said. 

Snape had returned to his podium and sneered at Hermione. "Miss Granger _failed_ to defeat Mr. Potter, therefore, Mr. Potter must be declared... the winner," he said, looking as if the pronouncement was costing him a great effort. 

"Now then. As I stated at the start of the tournament, as the winner, Mr. Potter and I shall give an exhibition to the class," Snape said smoothly. "He will have an opportunity to earn extra class credit. Potter, the longer you last, the more credit you shall earn." 

"Arrogant git," Ron said under his breath. He then spoke much louder. "What if Harry wins?" 

"Your _hand, _Mr. Weasley. Ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek. However, I don't think we need to worry about the exceedingly unlikely chance of Potter... _defeating_... me," Snape said, one side of his mouth lifting into a smirk. 

Harry felt irritation rising. _So Snape thinks he's unbeatable, does he?_ he thought grimly. Harry resolved to himself that he was going to use everything in his arsenal to make sure he didn't lose. 

"Of course, Potter, you are under no obligation to continue with the duel. It's extra credit. You may certainly... _opt out_... if you wish. After all, we wouldn't want you to risk your... _reputation_," Snape said, sneering at him. 

As hatred rose in Harry, Hermione looked over at him worriedly, and whispered. "Harry, _please _stay calm... don't let him bait you..." 

Harry ignored her as he rose to his feet and walked over to the dueling arena. He noticed that half the class appeared excited, and half the class appeared very apprehensive. Snape strolled slowly into the arena, his robe billowing through the air. They bowed to each other, both keeping their eyes up during the bow. 

"Are you ready, Potter?" Snape said tensely. 

"Yes," Harry said equally tensely, taking a dueling stance. 

"Begin!" Snape said. 

They began trading spells, each blocking the other successfully, getting a feel for the duel. Harry began being more aggressive; he hit Snape with quick bludgeoning spells several times, but Snape was unable to get through Harry's defenses. Since his training with Hermione's golems, his reflexes had been growing too fast for Snape to penetrate. As the duel wore on, it was obvious that Snape's frustration was growing. 

Snape abruptly stood up out of his stance, lowered his wand and looked toward the door, as if someone came in. Thinking that Snape had stopped the exercise, Harry let down his guard and looked toward the door to see what had distracted Snape. While his attention was away, Snape launched a spell, and Harry felt his cheek grow wet. He reached up and felt a considerable amount of blood coming down, which had also splashed his robes. Harry was reminded immediately of the incident in the Pensieve, where Snape had cut his father's cheek. 

Snape had a huge smirk on his face as the Slytherins were howling with laughter. Glancing over, Harry saw Ron was half on his feet with outrage and Hermione looked shocked. 

"Well, Potter, that will teach you to keep your eyes on your opponent," Snape said smoothly. 

"You cheated!" Harry said, almost shaking with rage. 

"Did I, Potter? And do you think your opponents will always play fair?" Snape said with a sneer. 

"I know what to expect from them. I _guess_ I should have known what to expect from _you._" Harry said. "You seem to like cutting curses, don't you?" 

Snape froze. The look he gave to Harry was as cold as ice. "Yes... the irony is unmistakable, isn't it, Potter?" he said, barely audible. 

The Slytherins were no longer laughing. The tension in the room had grown to dangerous bounds. Something in Harry snapped as Snape's face almost seemed mocking. 

"Yes, very ironic," Harry said, equally coldly. "with one difference this time. At least my back wasn't turned like last time." 

Snape's face grew hard as granite. "Are you calling me a coward, Potter?" he said, low and dangerous. 

Some part of Harry was telling him to stop, but he just didn't care anymore. "Well, let's review, shall we? You could only win against my father when his back was turned. And you could only win against me when you tricked me into thinking the exercise was done. What do _you _think?" 

Snape appeared as if he was fighting to keep control. Harry kept his eyes locked on him, not trusting him at all. Snape seemed to ignore Harry's words. There was dead silence in the room as everyone looked at the pair of them with their jaws dropped. 

"Shall we begin again, Potter?" Snape said, his voice as smooth as velvet. 

"Yes," Harry said grimly. 

Snape started launching spells, as if he was in a duel to the death. The spells he was launch were very powerful, but Harry blocked them effectively. Harry felt a cold anger running through him, wanting to humiliate Snape as much as possible. He didn't even launch a return spell, just blocking everything Snape was sending, toying with him. 

Snape grew enraged as he sent much more powerful spells. Harry could hear a nervous muttering among the students as they sensed things were getting way out of hand. 

"Maybe someone should get Dumbledore..." he heard someone say fearfully. 

"So, Potter? Not going to fight back?" Snape said tauntingly, while he continued to launch spells. Snape's control seemed to be coming apart. "Is that what you'll do while we all work to protect you? You break rules with impunity. _You got your own Godfather killed through your actions_." 

Hatred well up in Harry like he had never known for Snape. "What did you say?" Harry said, his own control rapidly falling away. 

"And who else will you get killed, Potter, through your arrogance? Your little _Weasley_ family? Granger? Maybe even Granger's family?" Snape said cruelly. 

Everything seemed to go red around Harry. Somewhere far away he heard people shouting and calling for Dumbledore, but he didn't care. Snape had finally crossed over the line, and Harry's fury burst out of him. He started launching spells at Snape, hardly caring where he was aiming. 

He seemed to need to repay five years of abuse as he hammered Snape with spells. Snape was barely blocking them, his eyes wide. Harry vaguely noticed that he had destroyed Snape's desk and broke part of the wall. 

Harry had been avoiding using restricted magic in public, but he started using the single syllable bludgeoning spells. Snape couldn't block them nearly fast enough, and they began pummeling his body. A voice in his head was telling him to just stun Snape and end it, but that wasn't enough... 

Harry heard a loud snap as a spell hit the side of Snape's ribs, then another crack as a spell hit him in the jaw. Snape twisted under the barrage helplessly, unable to defend himself. He collapsed to the ground, apparently unconscious... A part of Harry wanted to continue, to hurt him further... 

"Mr. Potter! Halt, please!" a voice commanded. 

Harry shook himself, remembering where he was. The classroom came back into focus, and he looked over at the voice. He saw Dumbledore standing in the door with Madam Pomfrey, who ran over to attend to Snape. 

A mix of emotions filled Harry. Some part of himself was wondering what the ramifications would be, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to care. The class was staring at the scene in shock. Ron and Hermione got up from their chairs and came over to stand with him. Hermione put her hand on his arm comfortingly. Harry barely noticed as she gave a healing spell on his face and handed him a handkerchief, which he used to wipe the blood off. 

As he looked at Snape, he still felt a cold anger. Snape's words rang through his head, and he couldn't help but feel that Snape had deserved what he got. 

"Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore grimly. "Perhaps you'd best wait back in Gryffindor Tower until I call for you. Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, please wait here. I would like to speak to everyone who witnessed the proceedings." 

Harry nodded and moved over to his chair to retrieve his books. He could feel every eye on him as a nervous murmur ran through the room. Malfoy and the Slytherins appeared particularly angry. He noticed that Parvati, who was sitting behind his chair as usual, was giving him a loyal and supportive smile. He smiled back weakly, appreciating support from wherever he could get it at that moment. 

He left the room, walking alone toward Gryffindor Tower, feeling light headed from the proceedings. He entered into the common room through the portrait hole. He felt grateful that the room was relatively empty; most students were still in classes, and the ones that were there hadn't heard yet. He took a spot next to the fireplace, feeling emotionally exhausted. 

Some time later, the portrait hole opened up. "Harry! Are you all right?" Ginny said, entering the common room. "I heard about what happened..." she said, trailing off. 

He looked up from his chair and shrugged, not really feeling like discussing anything. Ginny, sensing his mood, walked over slowly and sat down with him. 

They sat quietly together for several minutes; Harry just brooding silently. He glanced over at her. She was just sitting, staring into the fire calmly. Harry was grateful that she didn't appear nervous or worried; her calm face helped to settle him a little. 

Harry finally sighed. "Did anyone tell you what he said?" he asked, still gazing into the fire. 

"Yes," she said simply. 

"I don't feel sorry it happened," Harry said bluntly. 

Ginny nodded. "If it makes you feel better, I don't think very many people blame you. At least from what I hear, people are more shocked at what Snape said than what you did." 

Harry grunted, feeling slightly better about that. 

"Actually, if you want to know the truth, I think you fulfilled a lot of people's fantasies," she said, chuckling a little. 

A ghost of a smile came to Harry's face, before fading out again with another sigh. 

They sat in another long silence, both just watching the fire, until Harry heard the portrait open again. Ron and Hermione walked in, both looking subdued. 

"All right, mate?" asked Ron. 

"Yeah," Harry said, continuing to watch the fire. 

"Everyone told Professor Dumbledore what happened, Harry," said Hermione sympathetically. Her face then dissolved into a scowl. "Well, except some of the Slytherins. Malfoy tried to make up some rubbish that you'd gone mad and attacked Snape for no reason, but I don't think the Professor believed that." 

"The greasy git deserved it," Ron said defiantly. 

Hermione pursed her lips disapprovingly, but only said, "Madam Pomfrey said that Snape was going to be all right." 

Harry nodded, finding it difficult to feel concerned. 

Professor McGonagall entered the room, appearing subdued. "Potter? The Headmaster would like to see you down in the infirmary." Harry couldn't tell whether she was angry or not; her face was oddly expressionless. 

"All right, Professor," Harry said with a sigh. Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked at him supportively. 

Harry headed down to the infirmary, still feeling angry and defiant. He sullenly marched down the corridors, not knowing what Dumbledore had in store for him, and finding it very difficult to care. The news had apparently spread fast; students were giving him wide-eyed expressions as he passed. He kept his attention locked forward, trying not catch anyone's eye. 

He paused at the door and took a deep breath. He pasted a blank look on his face as he opened the door and entered the wing. 

"Hello, Mr. Potter," said Madam Pomfrey at her desk, with a businesslike expression. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in room two." 

Harry nodded and walked down the corridor toward the private rooms. The door was closed, so he knocked politely. 

"Enter," said Dumbledore softly. 

Harry opened the door and went into the room. Snape was lying on the bed, staring straight ahead. He appeared angrier than Harry had ever seen him, and his pale skin looked even more sallow than usual. Harry had suspected that he'd broken Snape's jaw, and sure enough, his lower face was surrounded with an odd glow; apparently that was being used for the healing process. 

"Professor Snape has just regained consciousness, Harry," said Dumbledore. "I thought we would save some time by discussing this, ah, incident among the three of us." 

"What is there to discuss?" Snape said smoothly. "Attacking a teacher is clear grounds for expulsion. Perhaps charges could even be filed." Snape looked hopeful at the prospect. 

Harry felt anger rising. He opened his mouth to respond, but Dumbledore held up a hand to him. "Please, Mr. Potter, allow me to finish," he said calmly. Harry pushed down his response and turned away sullenly, crossing his arms. 

"Yes, Severus. I agree that attacking a teacher is most definitely grounds for expulsion," he said. Harry felt a chill. "But there's a bit of a... snag." 

"Snag, Headmaster?" said Snape, his eyes narrowing. "I see no snag." 

"In interviewing the other students, I noticed that your, er, methods were a bit unusual, Severus," Dumbledore said kindly. "While I'm certain your intent was to motivate Mr. Potter, I'm afraid that it's possible that the words you used fall under the dueling statutes as 'fighting words.' As you know, under Wizarding Law, a wizard may defend his honor under certain circumstances, and also has the right to file a complaint with the Ministry if a wizard incites a duel." 

Dumbledore paused, letting the thought sink in. Snape's mouth was open in shock, just looking at the Professor as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. 

"Harry would be well within his rights to bring charges. Now, it may be that the charges wouldn't stick, but it would certainly trigger an investigation. I'm certain that many questions would be asked... interviews with students..." Dumbledore said. "They would certainly need to review the... history... between the two of you." 

He continued in an apologetic voice. "And I'm afraid the Governors of Hogwarts would insist on their own, separate investigation. The situation could turn into quite the sticky wicket." 

Harry just blinked. If he was understanding Dumbledore correctly, he could file a complaint with the Ministry over Snape inciting him into a duel? 

"Of course, it's your decision, Severus," Dumbledore said gently. "I would suggest, however, that if you were willing to, ah, 'forgive and forget' as it were, I'm certain Mr. Potter would be in a similar frame of mind?" He looked at Harry questioningly. 

Harry just nodded. Having the whole incident just go away sounded very good to him. 

Snape appeared absolutely livid. He glared at Harry, as if performing a murder might be worth the trip to Azkaban. He seemed to fight an internal struggle, then finally turned away. 

"Excellent!" said Dumbledore brightly. "Then everything is settled. I think a handshake is in order to seal the agreement." 

Harry and Snape glanced at each other, neither moving to make the gesture. Harry just stood frozen, unable to bring himself to move closer to the bed. 

Dumbledore looked at Harry expectantly. Finally Harry shuffled over to the bed and lifted his hand. Snape reluctantly brought his up as well. They barely touched their hands together before quickly pulling them back. Dumbledore smiled at them approvingly, his blue eyes twinkling. 

"Potter. Get–out–of–my–sight," Snape said, emphasizing each word through gritted teeth. 

Harry thought that sounded like an excellent idea as he ran out of the infirmary, and didn't stop until he was back in Gryffindor Tower. 

* * * 

_A/N: More thanks once again to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Blessed are the reviewers, for they shall inherit the fandom._

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	24. Chapter 23 The Wizard Carnival

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 23: The Wizard Carnival_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Harry walked along the lake in the late afternoon by himself, gloomy thoughts filling his head about his life. With spring returning to Hogwarts, the day was warm and dry, which was a nice change from the recent wet weather, and he felt that he should take advantage of it while he could. 

That morning, news had been sprayed across the Daily Prophet in huge letters announcing a massive Azkaban break-out. All the Death Eaters had escaped, including Lucius Malfoy. The mood at breakfast had felt very subdued, although Harry noticed that Draco's face held a particularly annoying smirk. 

Harry tried to care about the break-out, but somehow the whole thing had a feeling of inevitability to him. The Ministry had apparently put in enormous amounts of security since the disappearance of the Dementors, but, in the end, it hadn't been enough. Many guards had died during the escape. 

He briefly wondered what the ramifications would be, but his mind kept wandering back to more personal problems. Lately, many things had been settling down in his mind, yet many things felt extremely confusing. 

One thing was certainly better, and that was Snape's class. Snape had exited the infirmary after a day (Harry had heard that there'd been quite a row between he and Madam Pomfrey about it), and in their next class, Snape began the lesson as usual with no comment about the previous events. 

Although Snape's feelings about him had clearly not improved, as he periodically shot Harry looks of hatred, things had been much less tense. Instead of every lesson being a personal challenge, Snape appeared to embrace a new strategy of ignoring Harry for the most part. 

Many students had seemed to look at him rather warily after the incident, but that all seemed to settle down after a week or so. In fact, many students seemed much more relaxed around him since the tension in Snape's class had died down. 

One thing that didn't feel better was that Ron and Hermione had recently been spending a lot of time alone together, and Harry couldn't help but feel a bit left out. He was very glad they had finally admitted their feelings for each other, but the three of them didn't spend nearly as much time together, and he missed it. And if he were really truthful with himself, he felt a bit... envious. They were so happy together. 

Most of his confusion these days revolved around his relationship with Ginny, which ebbed and flowed like a tide, as he seemed to get closer and then further away. After he'd let Valentine's Day pass without action, he had watched carefully for any sign of reaction, but all was business as usual. It was more evidence that Hermione was right – she had liked him early on for no apparent reason, had come to her senses, got over him, and was now just a friend. 

And yet... sometimes she seemed to look at him as if she might want him to do something... 

Harry sighed, kicking a rock into the lake. The only good thing was that he hadn't noticed Ginny spending any significant time around any other boys, although she seemed to count many boys among her friends. The biggest problem was that he just didn't know exactly what he wanted. 

Sometimes at the end of their late night meals he would be so tempted to kiss her goodnight, to see what would happen... but he was fearful that he would mess everything up. It helped him so much to have her to talk to, especially with Ron and Hermione now a couple. 

His situation with Cho had been such a disaster last year. What if it ended the same way with Ginny? 

Somehow, when he would feel some temptation to explore where things could go, it seemed easier to maintain the status quo and not take such a huge risk. Endless problems would fill his head... what would Ron say? What would Mr. and Weasley think about their daughter going out with someone so, well, dangerous? What about Ginny's brothers? 

He wasn't just risking his relationship with Ginny, which was bad enough. He was risking his entire relationship with the Weasleys, who claimed to love him like a son. It was one thing to accept him into their family, it was another thing to accept him going out with their only daughter, who had already gone through a terrible time. 

So, whenever his urges struck, he would go through the same thought process over and over, finally being thankful for what he had, and putting off any decisions for another day. And then the days passed, becoming weeks, and weeks became more weeks, bringing him to his current state on this day at the end of April. 

Harry continued walking, going over the same mental territory, wondering what he should do. Finally he reached the steps of Hogwarts again and entered back into the castle, not feeling any closer to figuring things out. 

"Harry!" said a voice behind him, as he traveled back to Gryffindor Tower. "I've been looking for you!" 

Harry turned and found Lavender running over to him. 

"Hi, Lavender," he said. "What's up?" 

"Did you hear about it?" asked Lavender brightly. 

"Hear about what?" Harry asked blankly. 

Lavender rolled her eyes. "The carnival, silly! They're going to have a carnival next weekend on the Hogwarts grounds." 

"Sounds like fun," Harry said politely, wondering why she was telling him. 

"Yes! But the best part is they're going to let us do some booths for charity," she said. "You'll help us, won't you?" 

"Erm, what do you want me to do?" asked Harry. 

"We have just the job for you... we want you to be in the Dunking Booth!" she said enthusiastically. 

"What's that?" he asked curiously. 

"It's fun! You sit on a seat over a tank of water and people pay a Galleon to throw a Quaffle at a target. If they hit it, then you get dunked in the water," she said. 

"Er, what am I wearing?" Harry said cautiously. 

"A swim suit, of course," Lavender said. 

Suddenly a picture of himself rose in his head, sitting in the middle of the carnival in his swim suit with every girl in Hogwarts staring at him... Colin Creevey would surely be taking pictures... Harry shuddered in horror. He shook his head at her vehemently. 

"No way," Harry said firmly. 

"But, Harry... it's for _charity..._" Lavender said hopefully. 

"Not a chance." 

"But we'll make so much money if _you _do it!" she said pleadingly. 

"Forget it." 

"Don't you want to know what the money is _for_?" she asked. 

"No. I'm not doing it." 

"But... but, Harry, all the money goes to an _orphanage_..." Lavender said, looking at him with big puppy-dog eyes. 

Harry opened his mouth to refuse once again, but hesitated. Lavender, sensing weakness, moved in for the kill. 

"Think about all those _children_, without parents... this money will help them so much..." she said, looking sad. "That's why we thought of _you_... we knew you wouldn't let them down." 

Harry closed his eyes, feeling that she was fighting entirely unfairly. He sighed, resigned. He couldn't turn down an orphanage. 

"All right," he said. "How long do I have to do it?" 

"Just a couple of hours," she said happily. "It'll be fun, you'll see. Oh, and Parvati made a special Gryffindor swim suit for you." 

"A Gryffindor swim suit?" he said dubiously.  
  
"Yes! You want to show your house pride, don't you? It's red and gold!" she said. 

The whole thing just kept getting worse. Harry groaned. "Well, we'll see about that," he grumbled. 

"You don't need to decide about the suit now," Lavender said soothingly. "We'll let you know what time to be there." 

Harry continued on to the Tower, continuing to grumble all the way. A Hogsmeade weekend would have been in a little more than two weeks, but had been cancelled a few weeks before because of security concerns. Apparently Dumbledore was trying to make up for the loss. 

He gave the password to the Fat Lady and entered into the common room to a buzzing of excitement. Seeing Ron and Hermione, he moved over to their table and sat down. 

"Did you hear?" Ron asked excitedly. 

"Yeah," Harry said, trying to force a smile to his face, but couldn't help but see images of himself on display for everyone in Hogwarts. 

"What's the matter, Harry?" Hermione asked worriedly. 

"Oh, Lavender made me promise to work one of the booths at the carnival," he said, annoyed. "I don't even want to talk about it." 

Hermione looked like she was fighting back a smile as she pasted an expression of sympathy on her face. "Well, she already told us," she said. 

Harry felt even more annoyed. "She was telling people before she even asked me?" 

"Oh, Harry, it'll be all right. It's for a good cause," she said, her smile finally breaking out. 

Harry looked unconvinced. "Well, it's just for a few hours, I guess, although I don't even know what time I'm supposed to do it. You both will meet me afterward, won't you?" 

"Of course we will, Harry. And Ginny was talking about coming with us, too," Hermione said. 

Harry's spirits brightened considerably, but he tried not to appear too excited about the prospect. "Oh? Great, that'll be fun," he said nonchalantly. 

"Yeah, mate! It'll be great... me and Hermione, you and Ginny..." Ron started, giving him a meaningful glance, but Hermione glared at him. "Um, yeah," he said, coughing. 

Harry wondered briefly what the glare was all about, but felt in too good of spirits to really care about whatever minor argument they might be engaged in. He felt good about having some sort plan in place where he could spend time with Ginny. 

* * * 

Harry felt simultaneously excited and apprehensive as the day of the carnival approached. On Friday, a large caravan pulled onto the Hogwarts grounds and began setting up. The whole school hummed with excitement. Finally Saturday morning arrived and Harry met Lavender in the common room to get his instructions. 

"Hi, Harry! Here's your Gryffindor swim suit," Lavender said, handing him an incredibly light piece of material. 

Harry took it from her and held it up. It looked very tight fitting, colored a Gryffindor gold color decorated with bright red flames. Harry stared at it in horror. 

"NOT A BLOODY CHANCE IN HELL," he said loudly. 

"But Harry, you promised..." Lavender said, pouting. 

"I promised to do the booth. I didn't promise to wear... wear... _that._" 

"But Harry... the orphans..." Lavender said hopefully. 

"Hang the orphans!" he said vehemently. "I'm not wearing that suit." 

"All right, Harry," said Lavender, looking extremely disappointed. 

"Right, then," Harry said, calming down. "When am I supposed to do this?" 

"We scheduled you in the morning," Lavender said, quickly moving on to a safer subject. "First thing! From nine to eleven, so you'll be over and done with. We even cast some warming charms on the water and the tank." 

Harry glanced at the clock. It was eight o'clock, so he needed to get moving if he was to eat breakfast beforehand. "All right, I'll meet you down there at nine." 

"Thank you, Harry," Lavender said, giving him a big smile. Harry grumbled back. 

Entering the Great Hall, he saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny sitting together, as he took a seat with them. They all gave him greetings. 

Ginny snickered at the frown on this face. "Oh, Harry. It won't be that bad," she said. 

Harry wasn't so certain. He was still mortified by the swim suit, making him wonder what other surprises were in store for him. 

"Let me guess," she said, with a huge grin. "You saw the swim suit?" 

Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione also seemed to be fighting back laughter. Finally he couldn't help but chuckle a bit himself. 

"Yeah. Let's just say I was tempted to cast an inferno charm right there on the spot," he said, with a smile. 

"I tried to tell Parvati that you wouldn't wear it," Hermione said, laughing. "But she was determined to try." 

"Anyway, Lavender told me that I have to work the booth from nine to eleven, so after that I'll be free," Harry said. 

"All right, Harry," said Hermione. "We'll meet you right afterward, and we'll stop by during to see how you're doing, too." 

"Yeah, mate. And we'll save all the good stuff for when you're done," Ron said. 

"Thanks," Harry said gratefully. 

At the appointed hour, Harry headed down to the carnival. He was grateful that the weather seemed to be warm. Although Lavender had promised that the tank used warming spells, he'd rather it was a nice day. He looked about in fascination at various game booths, exhibitions and a whole section with magical rides. He was itching to go and explore, but sighed as he saw Lavender next to the Dunking Booth. It was a tank about six feet square filled with about five feet of water. Above the water was a platform suspended with no apparent means of support. A target with concentric circles was set up next to the tank. 

"Hi, Harry. All set?" asked Lavender brightly. 

"Yeah," he said reluctantly, eyeing the tank. 

"There's a bathroom over there where you can change," she said, gesturing toward a set of temporary buildings that looked as if they were for administration. 

Harry quickly dressed into his swim suit. He peeked out the door and noticed that many students had begun arriving. Sighing, he gathered his courage and began walking toward the tank. He saw a ladder behind the booth that he used to climb up and in, and then took his place, sitting on the platform. The air felt warm in the tank, so apparently Lavender had put on the promised warming charm. 

He couldn't help but noticed that many girls were whispering to each other and pointing at him, but he figured that he might as well do the deed right, and so he smiled at everyone encouragingly. 

A line began to form immediately to take a shot at him; Harry noticed that many of the students were Slytherins. 

Lavender put down a line on the ground from where everyone was supposed to throw the Quaffle. Harry was grateful that she didn't make the shot too easy. About twenty people tried and missed, until a girl from the Ravenclaw Quidditch team took a shot, dumping him into the water. The crowd cheered as Harry swam back up. He grinned at the student and gave her a thumbs up. Lavender beamed at Harry for being such a good sport. 

Harry had to admit that now that he was there, it wasn't so bad. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and he noticed a large stack of gold growing next to her. 

Some time later, Ron, Hermione and Ginny arrived, who all immediately laughed at Harry on his perch. Harry gave them a sour look in return. 

"How's it going?" Ginny called up to him. 

"Oh, it's not so bad," he said. "Lavender seems to be making a lot of money." 

Just then, Malfoy reached the front of the line, smirking at Harry. He handed a coin to Lavender. "Well, Potter, I've always said you're all wet." 

Harry ignored him, keeping his eyes on his friends. 

"I guess that famous Gryffindor courage is on display, too, eh, Potter?" Malfoy called to him. "If I had a body like that, I certainly wouldn't... _flaunt... _myself in public." 

Harry gritted his teeth, trying not to give Malfoy the satisfaction of reacting. 

"But I suppose you're the famous _Harry Potter... _we should all bow down and thank the gods above for the honor of seeing you in your... _splendor._" 

"Are you going to throw it, Malfoy, or are you going to try and hit the target with your mouth?" Ron said, irritated. Hermione and Ginny laughed. 

"Patience, Weasley," Malfoy said arrogantly. "For a Galleon, I intend to get my money's worth." 

Malfoy pulled his arm back and took careful aim. He launched the Quaffle at the target, but missed by a foot. 

Ginny laughed loudly. "Good thing you're a Seeker, Malfoy, because you'd make a really pathetic Chaser. Not that your Seeking skills are anything to crow about." 

Malfoy sent her a poisoned look. "You think you could do better, Weasley? Maybe your _great hero _Potter will dive into the tank for you." 

"I know I could, Malfoy," Ginny said coldly. "In fact, I'll bet you a Galleon I can hit the target on my first try." 

The other students in line looked very interested at this. Malfoy smirked at her. "_One _Galleon, Weasley? Is that _all _you can afford? Well, I suppose it's not too surprising, considering your family's... well, _financial _means." He paused long enough to give her a sneer. "If we're going to bet, then let's make it worthwhile. Say, one _hundred _Galleons." 

Ginny blanched a bit at that, but then said angrily, "If you're too frightened to bet, Malfoy, just say so. You know I don't have a hundred bloody Galleons." 

He laughed at her mockingly. "Shall we just say a Knut, then? Or will that break your little piggy bank?" 

"I'll cover her," Harry called, a smile on his face. Ginny looked at him with shock, and then walked over where Malfoy couldn't hear. 

"Harry!" she whispered. "I can't pay you back if I lose!" 

"You won't lose," Harry said confidently, leaning over to her. "Show Malfoy how it's done." 

Ginny paused, then grinned at him. "Right, then." 

She moved back to Malfoy, who was looking decidedly less confident. "All right, Malfoy. One hundred Galleons, one shot." 

"May I...?" she asked the next boy in line. He nodded enthusiastically, allowing Ginny to take the place in line in front of him. She took the Quaffle and gave a Galleon to Lavender. She pulled her arm back and made a fake throw, pushing the ball forward, and then quickly pulling back. As she did, Malfoy made a loud coughing sound. 

"You're so predictable, Malfoy," she said, rolling her eyes. "Are you so worried that you need to cheat?" 

The crowd laughed loudly, causing Malfoy to appear extremely embarrassed. Ginny gave him one last derisive look and then turned back to the target, taking careful aim. She threw the Quaffle perfectly, hitting the target dead center, causing Harry to fall into the water. The crowd cheered as Harry bobbed back to the surface, grinning widely. Malfoy appeared extremely angry. 

"Well, Malfoy?" Ginny said, holding out her palm. "Hand it over." 

He appeared like he wanted to slap her hand away, but then began to reach into his robe. 

"Unless..." Ginny said with a smirk. 

"Unless what?" Malfoy said, his hand suspended in his robe. 

"Unless you'd care to do a double-or-nothing," Ginny said. 

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Double-or-nothing?" 

"I'll bet you double-or-nothing that you miss your next throw. You hit the target... you owe me nothing. You miss... then it's doubled, two hundred Galleons," Ginny said, grinning widely at him. 

The crowd had been growing during the exchange. The large crowd now looked at Malfoy with anticipation. 

"Well, Malfoy?" said Ron, with a wide smirk. "Or are the stakes a bit... high for you?" 

Malfoy appeared as if he was fighting a titanic inner struggle, but glancing around at the crowd, he finally snapped, "Fine!" 

"Everyone!" Ron shouted beyond the crowd. "Two hundred Galleons says that Malfoy is going to miss this shot! Come and watch!" 

More and more students came over to witness the bet, causing Malfoy to look extremely nervous. 

"Any time you're ready, Malfoy," Harry said, grinning. 

Malfoy pulled the Quaffle back, his hand shaking slightly. He finally launched it and the ball missed the target by a good three feet. 

Simultaneous groans and cheers came up from the crowd. Ginny raised her arms over her head and gave a scream of triumph. 

"Two hundred Galleons!" Ginny said, pulling out her money purse. "Pay up, Malfoy." 

Malfoy looked as if he wanted to just walk away and pay her nothing, but glancing around at the crowd, he realized that he had no choice but to pay her. He reached into his robe and pulled out a sack of gold. He counted out two hundred Galleons and handed it to her contemptuously. 

"Try not to wet your pants, Weasley," he said arrogantly. "I'm certain that's more money than your whole family has ever had at one time. Of course, it's pocket change to me." 

"Yeah, yeah, Malfoy. Whatever you say. Just hand it over," Ginny said, taking the money and snapping her money purse shut. "It was a pleasure doing business with you." 

Malfoy stalked off as Ginny beamed at Harry. "Thank you, Harry! I'll hold onto your half until after you're done." 

Harry grinned back at her. "I already have my share just seeing Malfoy get humiliated. You won the bet; it's all yours." 

Ginny looked uncertain. "Are you sure? Well... at least, lunch is on me, today." 

"That sounds great," Harry replied. 

The three promised Harry they would return after he was done, as they wandered off to look around some more. Harry sighed, wishing he could go with them. 

Later on, when Harry finally completed his duties at the Dunking Booth, Ron, Hermione and Ginny met him coming out of the bathroom after changing out of his swim suit. 

"All ready, mate?" asked Ron. 

"Definitely," Harry said, glad it was over. "Let's go see the carnival." 

"We've been wandering around. The carnival is bloody fantastic," said Ron exuberantly, as they headed out. 

As they walked about the grounds, Harry was fascinated with all the displays. It was a lot like a Muggle carnival in certain ways. He saw a magic juggler using his wand to keep fifteen balls in the air swooping around in a complex pattern. Harry was impressed; the juggler would have to keep fifteen spells going at once for the effect to work. 

As they passed by some game booths, a carny called out to him. "Right this way, sir. One sickle! Ring the bell and win a prize for your lady friend." 

The carny was working a booth with a number of large signs with various slogans, such as, 'Prove your strength!' and 'How much of a wizard are you?' 

Harry moved up to the booth. "What do I do?" he asked the man. 

"Launch a spell at this target," he said, gesturing toward a round plate. The plate was attached to a tall staff with marks. At the top of the staff was a large bell. "The harder you hit the target, the higher the indicator goes. If you hit the top and ring the bell, you win one of these prizes." 

Harry looked at the prizes, which consisted of very large, brightly colored stuffed animals. They resembled typical Muggle prizes, except these animals were animated, waving to people as they passed the booth. 

"Aw, no one ever wins this," Ron said derisively. "It's a bloody scam. You can tell by how big the prizes are." The carny shot a glare at Ron. 

"It has to be possible," Hermione said loftily. "They wouldn't just make it so that _no one _could do it." 

"The little lady is right," the carny said smoothly. "We run fair games, here." 

Ron appeared skeptical, but let it go. The carny looked at Harry expectantly. 

Ginny grinned. "Go on, Harry. Give it a try." 

Harry grinned back, pulled out a sickle and handed it to the man. Harry pulled out his wand, and, deciding not to take any chances, sent one of the stronger bludgeoning spells that he knew. It leapt out of his wand, hitting the plate violently, causing a beam of light to fly up the staff and hit the bell, causing a very loud GONG to sound. He noticed the plate now had a large dent in it. 

The carny looked extremely annoyed. "All right. Pick your prize," he said in a surly voice. 

Harry smiled at Ginny. "You choose," he said. 

She beamed at him and pointed to a stuffed dragon. "That one!" 

The carny pulled down the dragon and handed it to Ginny, forcing an insincere smile to his face. 

"Thank you, Harry," Ginny said, hugging her new dragon, which was busily trying to nibble on her neck. "Oh, and thank you again for... earlier, with Malfoy." 

"You're welcome, and no, thank _you. _Any excuse to put one over Malfoy is worth just about any cost," Harry said, grinning. 

They continued on, coming upon a raised platform with another carny barking to the passing students. 

"Hurry! Hurry! Step right up and see some of the most amazing things you will ever see in your life!" he said, playing to the crowd. Several students stopped to listen. "See the Amazing Splinched Man. He was splinched so severely that it could not be reversed. See the women who tried to make herself taller, but didn't quite get what she bargained for... she's over twelve feet tall with a six inch waist! An _amazing _Animagus Transformation accident... half man, half frog! Magical accidents of every sort! A _once _in a lifetime opportunity. Only two sickles!" 

"Whoa! I need to see _this_!" Ron said enthusiastically. 

"But, Ron," Hermione started. "These people are being _exploited_... for our entertainment!" 

Ron blinked at her. "Hermione! It's a _freak show_! We _have_ to see the freaks!" 

Hermione looked extremely reluctant. "I don't know..." 

"But... but... _freaks_!" Ron said imploringly. 

"Don't call them 'freaks,' Ron! It's not nice," Hermione said haughtily. 

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other, trying to fight down grins. Apparently having the two of them go out didn't eliminate _all _the bickering. Ron appeared extremely disappointed. 

"Well, you know, Hermione," Ginny said. "It's really _compassionate _to go see them... this is how they make their money. If we didn't go see them, they wouldn't have a way to make a living." 

Ron looked at Ginny like she was a savior. "Yeah! That's right!" he said. "We're being... being... _noble _by giving them money." Ron gazed hopefully at Hermione. 

"Well," Hermione said half-heartedly. "All right." 

"Besides," Ginny whispered to Harry, grinning. "I want to see them, too." 

They paid the man and entered a large portable tent. Harry noticed with amusement that now that the decision was made, Hermione appeared extremely interested and was first through the door scanning avidly about the room. 

They first went to Magical Livestock Accidents, which showed various animals that had undergone magical transformations. Harry stared incredulously at a lamb with ten heads, sticking out at various parts of his body. The lamb seemed relatively happy, however, as one of the heads ate his lunch calmly while various other ones Baa-ed at him. Reading a card next to the exhibit, the farmer from New Zealand had been apparently trying to create a lamb with more legs. 

They moved through the tent, Harry fascinated with all the exhibits. He even saw a person blown up as his Aunt Marge had been, but apparently unable to be reversed. One man was covered head to toe with thick hair, except for the top of his head, which was completely bald. His story was that he'd tried a hair growth potion for his head, but had mixed up several ingredients. 

Harry felt the best was definitely the Amazing Splinched Man, the last exhibit. They entered through a special door with an arrow that flashed in various colors. As they walked into the room, Ginny and Hermione audibly gasped, each grabbing Harry and Ron's arms respectively, while Harry and Ron glanced at each other in shock. 

The Amazing Splinched Man grinned at them, which wasn't particularly noteworthy, except he grinned from a mouth in the middle of his chest. In fact, none of his body parts appeared to be attached in the correct spot. His head, which featured only a nose, was coming out the left shoulder, while one arm came out his hip, and the other arm out his back. The only thing that seemed attached almost in a normal way were his legs, except they were oriented at ninety degree angles, causing his feet to point straight out to the sides. His eyes and eyebrows blinked at them from the top of his neck, which ended in a stump. Finally, his ears stuck out the top of his shoulders, but were at least symmetrical. 

He wore only a loin cloth, for which Harry was thankful. He definitely didn't want to see what was under _there_. Harry was also pretty certain his insides had been scrambled, as his torso was bumpy and misshapen. 

They gawked unblushingly at the man, who appeared quite amused at their reaction. 

"Hi, kids," he said from his chest, in a relatively normal voice, although it seemed to have an odd tone. 

"Erm," Ron started, curiosity overcoming him. "What happened?" 

"I tried to Disapparate from a Muggle airplane fifty-thousand feet in the air, going six hundred miles per hour, while drunk. Definitely not recommended. You should have seen me before the Magical Reversal Squad put me back together," he said, with the smoothness of a long practiced speech. "I count myself lucky to have survived at all." 

The four teenagers grimaced at the story. 

"Does everything... function?" Hermione asked, wide-eyed. 

He laughed. "An excellent question. Yes, believe it or not, everything works. Took some magic from the head of the Reversal Department himself working with a team from St. Mungos. I'm the most written about splinching case in history," he finished, a bit proudly. 

"Er, thank you," Hermione said politely. 

"No worries. Have fun at the carnival," he said, waving at them using his hip-arm. 

The exited the tent, back into bright sunshine as they began looking around the carnival again. 

"Let's go see the rides," Ron said enthusiastically. 

"Yeah! I've been dying to go on them," Ginny said, appearing excited as well. 

Harry noticed that Hermione looked a bit reluctant at this. "I've never been one for Muggle roller coasters... are they anything like that?" she asked. 

"No idea," Ron said distractedly, walking along quickly, holding Hermione's hand and pulling her along. Ginny and Harry stole a glance at each other, chuckling. 

The entered into a very odd area, filled with bizarre floating shapes. Ron and Ginny seemed to take it for granted, but Harry and Hermione glanced at each other. They moved over to the nearest one, which had a long line of students. 

"Let's go on the Whipper-Snapper!" Ron said, gesturing at a ride. It had an assortment of large, floating pipes strewn haphazardly around a field. They entered into the line, Hermione appearing very nervous. 

Harry watched the student at the front of the line walk over to an odd, upside-down funnel pointing straight up in the air. The student positioned himself underneath the funnel, his face a tad nervous. The rather bored-looking operator waved his wand. Suddenly the student flew straight up at an incredible speed and was shot in the air about 80 feet high. He hit a floating pipe shaped like an elbow, which proceeded to launch him vertically across the field, until he hit another pipe that shot him in another direction. Pipe after pipe the boy flew around until he finally landed on the ground. He was extremely dizzy as he staggered to his friends. 

"Uh, uh," Hermione said emphatically. "I'm _not _going on this one." 

"Aw, Hermione..." Ron said, grinning. "Don't you want to try it... _once_?" 

"Once would be far too much. I'll go on... _that _one," she said, gesturing toward a slow-moving ride. It resembled a Muggle merry-go-round, except the horses were various magical animals, the animals were animated, and floated in the air while moving in a circle. 

"All right, all right," Ron said chuckling. "You're in, aren't you, Harry?" 

Harry felt a bit nervous, but noticing Ginny grinning at him, he felt he had no choice but to go. "Yeah, looks like fun," he said, doing his best to fake a calm exterior. 

They finally reached the front of the line. Ron and Ginny went first, both whooping and screaming as they flew around. Harry then took his turn. The sense of speed was incredible as he flew through the air, suddenly changing direction with each pipe that he hit. He landed on the ground and wobbled unsteadily toward Ron and Ginny, who were openly laughing at him. 

"Wow," Harry said. He'd never been on a Muggle roller coaster, seeing as how the Dursleys didn't allow him to have any sort of fun, but he couldn't imagine those were much more fun than this ride. 

After going on a few more rides (Hermione only went on the merry-go-round with Ron), they decided to have lunch, Ginny keeping her promise to treat Harry. They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the Carnival, riding more rides and playing more games. 

As the sun began to go down, they headed back up to the castle for dinner. Harry was feeling exhausted, but cheerful. He noticed Ron and Hermione holding hands as they walked back. He glanced over at Ginny, wondering what would happen if he reached over and took her hand. 

As usual, he decided it was better not to risk it and potentially spoil a good day. 

* * * 

It was a week after the carnival when Harry sat in the great hall, eating his dinner when the room suddenly quieted down. He glanced around curiously and noticed that Dumbledore had risen to his feet. 

"Students, your attention, please," he started. The room immediately grew silent as he smiled to the room, his eyes twinkling. Harry felt some slight relief; whatever he was going to say, it didn't look like bad news. 

"I have an announcement that some of you may find extremely interesting. As you all know, the third Hogsmeade visit was cancelled for next weekend. However, Professor Melanadray has just made an alternative suggestion, which I thought was an excellent idea," he said, gesturing at her. 

Many of the students appeared much more interested in the announcement upon hearing this. Dumbledore gave a dramatic pause. 

"Since we have an open weekend, we are going to hold a Ball next Saturday," he said, smiling. 

An excited murmuring ran through the room. Harry noticed that Parvati and Lavender were particularly squealing at each other. 

"It's short notice, of course – we only have seven days to put it together, but I believe everyone will have a lot of fun. Further announcements will be forthcoming as the plans come together. All prefects should expect this to be a busy week," he finished, chuckling. 

Ron blinked for a few seconds, then turned quickly to Hermione. "Hermione, will you go to the Ball with me?" he said, the words tumbling out. 

"Of course I will, Ron," she said, smiling at him. "But there wasn't much doubt about that, was there?" 

"I'm not taking _any _chances this time," he said emphatically. 

Harry, for his part, felt a bit stunned by the whole thing. Should he ask Ginny? Part of him was very tempted – but other parts were still uncertain about his feelings. Asking her to the Ball could possibly be committing him down a path he wasn't sure about. He knew she was very important to him... but what about her family... dare he risk it? 

And he wasn't even certain about her feelings... 

He had been putting off any decisions about her, but maybe... maybe this was an opportunity to test the water. They could go to the Ball together, and he might be able to get some hints about how she felt about it... that was safer than a lot of his other options. 

But what if she turned him down? What if she accepted, but didn't really want to... maybe she had some other bloke in mind whom she wanted to ask her... it could make things really awkward between them. 

Harry sighed as he took another bite of his breakfast and decided to think about the whole thing some more before making any final decisions. 

* * * 

Ginny sat in the library, trying to finish her Charms essay, but was finding it very difficult to concentrate. Her thoughts kept wandering to a place that they had been returning to quite a bit lately... Harry. She sighed as she put down her quill. 

The Ball had been announced two days ago, and he didn't seem to be in any hurry to ask her. With the short amount of time, students weren't wasting any time about pairing up. She had already turned down three boys who had asked, and if this kept up, she was afraid she would end up with no one to take her. It was especially annoying because she had money to buy nice dress robes this year, and she fully intended to make use of it. 

And the truth was, she was getting just a bit tired of waiting for him... on many levels. 

She felt a surge of anger at herself. _Didn't I say I wasn't going to be like this before the year started? _she thought. She didn't feel as if she was pining for him, but neither was she giving much attention to any other boys. She was very happy with the time she spent with Harry, but if it wasn't going to go anywhere, shouldn't she start to... look elsewhere? 

She hated to think it, but it was possible that Harry simply didn't want things to move further, and she had been wrong about the whole thing. They had been spending even more time together since Ron and Hermione started going out, but lately... he almost seemed even _less _interested, more hidden than he'd been before... 

"Ginny?" a boy said, coming up to her. 

"Oh! Hi... um, Matt," she said, a bit shy. Matt Prescott was a very popular seventh year Gryffindor, whom she had to admit was very good looking. He was rather tall, with wavy brown hair and dark, brown eyes. They hadn't spoken very many times, but had recently chatted together at the carnival, after she had won the bet from Malfoy. He had seemed very nice. 

"Hi," he said, smiling. "Busy with your OWL studies?" 

"Yes," she said, sighing. "I should be working harder, but... hard to concentrate." 

"Yeah. I know what you mean... NEWT studies are even worse," he said. 

"Don't tell me that!" Ginny said in mock horror, then grinned at him. 

"All right, NEWT studies are a cinch," he said, grinning back. "Piece of cake." 

Ginny laughed. "Oh, now we have a bit of a big head, don't we?" she said, tilting her head and looking at him out the corner of her eye appraisingly. 

"All right, they'll be easy for you, but are murder for me. Is that better?" he said, smiling. 

Ginny nodded her approval. "Much better," she said, feeling good about flirting with a boy who, for a change, actually seemed to respond. 

"Listen..." he started, with a smile. "I know that you're probably already going with someone, and I'm sorry for not asking you sooner, but I wondered if you would care to go to the Ball with me?" 

Ginny felt stunned that he was asking her. She was extremely conflicted; she had hoped Harry would ask her... then suddenly all her frustration with him took over, and she realized she really was tired of waiting for him. If Harry didn't want her, there were certainly other boys that did. She smiled warmly at Matt. 

"I'd love to," she said. 

* * * 

Harry looked across the common room, watching Ginny work on her homework, trying to work up some nerve. He had made his decision, and he intended to ask Ginny to the Ball. All week he had been struggling to find some way to ask her, only to find some excuse for putting it off. He just didn't know how it was going to go, but there wasn't much time left. The Ball was coming up like a runaway train and he had to ask her soon. 

She abruptly closed her book and packed up her work. Getting up from the table, she headed over the portrait hole, apparently deciding to continue in the library. Harry panicked, he couldn't put it off any longer. He got up from his table and ran after her. 

He caught up to her in the corridor. "Ginny! Wait..." 

She turned around, looking at him curiously. "Hi, Harry. What's up?" 

"Um... Er..." Harry started, his breathing suddenly getting very shallow with nervousness. Finally he called on some reserve of courage and decided to get it over with. "Would... would you maybe want to go to the Ball with me?" he asked. 

Ginny blinked at him in disbelief. There was a long pause as Harry felt extremely anxious. She didn't appear pleased or happy to be asked as he'd hoped; on the contrary, her eyes were slowly narrowing at him. 

"You're asking me? _Now!? Three days before the Ball?_" Ginny asked angrily. 

Harry was taken aback. "Uh, I thought you might want to..." 

"For your information, I'm already going with someone, Harry," she said, crossing her arms. 

"But, I, uh, thought... well, maybe you would have liked to have gone with me, I mean, maybe not..." he said, disappointment filling him. 

This seemed to make Ginny even angrier. "You are the bloodiest, thickest _git _I've ever known," she said, her voice rising. 

Harry started growing a bit angry himself. "Well, _sorry_ for asking," he said, his feelings hurt. 

"What did you think, Harry?" Ginny was shouting now. "That no one else would ask me? That I would just sit around waiting for you to ask? How long was I supposed to wait?" 

She stormed off angrily, leaving Harry confused and hurt. He walked back into the common room and saw Parvati across the room. Before he could change his mind, he went over to her. 

"Parvati?" Harry said. 

Parvati appeared surprised, but recovered quickly. "Hi, Harry!" she said brightly. 

"Do you want to go to the Ball with me?" he asked. 

Parvati looked thrilled. "I'd love to! Sit down... I know just what we'll wear," she said, pulling him down into a chair next to her. She began pulling some pictures out of her notebook. Harry blinked. Apparently she had been prepared for this moment. "What do you think of this robe... we don't have much time, so we need to decide." 

"Decide?" Harry asked blankly. 

"Of course, silly! We need to order our robes so we'll match. We don't want to wear robes that will clash," she said happily. "Madam Malkin is coming tomorrow to measure everyone." 

Harry hadn't even thought about what he was going to wear. He had supposed he would wear his dress robes from his fourth year, but he realized they probably didn't fit anymore. Parvati spread out a dozen or so pictures, showing couples turning around and modeling various robe styles. 

"I like these..." she said, pointing to a rather elaborate set; too elaborate for Harry's taste. He groaned internally, robes being the furthest from what he cared about at that moment. His mind kept returning to his fight with Ginny in the hall. Why was she angry with him? He had no idea... he had hoped she would want to go with him... but apparently not? But why would she get angry with him for asking? 

He noticed that Parvati was looking at him expectantly while his mind was wandering. He realized he needed to get the decision over with. He quickly scanned the pictures, looking for a relatively safe choice. 

"How about those?" he said, pointing to a dark green, similar to what he wore in his fourth year. 

"Those are my second choice!" Parvati said enthusiastically. "I really like the cut of the lady's robe, and the color will go well with your eyes..." she began, as she launched into a full analysis of the robes. 

Harry sighed as she called Lavender over to discuss accessories. 

* * * 

_A/N: I know, it's frustrating watching Harry screw it up. But it has to happen this way. I promise, promise that when it happens, I have something good planned and it will be worth the wait. :) _

_Must give a plug to a favorite story that also played the orphan card, Miss Hogwarts by JennaMae: (http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1106424)._

_There are so many things that could have been written for the wizard carnival. Have some Hogsmeade people bring bizarre crafty stuff, carnies selling wacky remedies, maybe historical duel reenactments, more rides (some weird wizard Tunnel of Love would have been funny), more freaks, more games... ah well. I didn't want to weigh down the story with a part that was technically more fun than plot driven. Maybe I'll write a parallel story one of these days._

_Beta reading thanks to Allie Kiwi and DM. Did you know that you'll never die if you leave reviews? It's true! If it doesn't work, let me know and I will apologize wherever you are in person._

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	25. Chapter 24 The Spring Ball

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 24: The Spring Ball_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

"How do I look, Harry?" asked Ron nervously, peering into his mirror. "God, I'm glad Fred and George bought me these robes. If I'd had to wear those old ones..." He shuddered. 

Harry chuckled. "You look fine, no worries." Harry had to admit his robes that Parvati had picked out were very nice. He'd selected primarily on color, but the cut made him appear much less skinny than usual. 

"Ready? It's just about time," Ron said, glancing at the clock. 

"Yeah, about as ready as I'll ever be," Harry replied. 

They headed down the stairs into the common room. Many boys were milling about, waiting for their partners for the Ball. Harry and Ron scanned the room, but didn't see Parvati or Hermione. 

Harry and Ron shuffled around silently, every so often glancing up the stairs. Finally Hermione and Parvati came down together. Both looked very pretty; Hermione wore a very elegant dark red robe, while Parvati had a matching robe to Harry's. 

Ron's jaw dropped almost to the floor as he stared unabashedly at Hermione. "You... you... look beautiful!" he said. 

Hermione blushed and appeared extremely happy, giving Ron a wide smile. "You look quite handsome yourself, Ron. And Harry, you look great!" 

Parvati looked at Harry expectantly. Harry felt like he better say something at least close to Ron's reaction, which wasn't all that difficult, since Parvati did look extremely pretty. "Hi, Parvati. Wow... you look pretty." 

Parvati beamed at him. "Thank you, Harry. You look utterly fantastic!" she said, causing Harry to feel a bit of heat. 

"You look great, too, Hermione," Harry said. 

"Thanks, Harry," she said, smiling. "Well, shall we go down?" 

Harry had been hoping to catch a glimpse of Ginny, but so far she hadn't shown up anywhere. He was very curious about who was taking her to the Ball. They headed out the portrait hole, joining many excited couples in the corridors. 

They entered the Great Hall, which was decorated with an undersea theme. Harry could see a variety of sea life apparently swimming above them, while the walls were decorated with seaweed and coral. The seaweed seemed to sway in water; it was so realistic that Harry actually took a breath to make sure he wasn't underwater. He looked up, marveling at the life-like colorful, tropical fishes, sea horses, dolphins and even a few sharks swimming around. Every so often one of the fishes would dive down, move between a few students and swim back up. 

As he took in the decorations, Harry furtively scanned around the room, trying to find Ginny, but didn't see her anywhere. 

"Let's find a table," Parvati said to Harry, looking very excited. Instead of the normal long tables, there were many smaller tables decorated with sea-green tablecloths. Each table was lit with a glowing dolphin lamp. 

"All right," Harry said. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione, who were whispering to each other with small smiles, seemingly oblivious to anyone else. "Ron? Hermione? You coming?" 

"What?" Hermione said. "Oh, yes, let's find a table." 

They headed over to one of the nearest unoccupied tables, in about the middle of the room. Harry sat down in a seat facing the door so that he could possibly spot Ginny when she came in. 

"There's Padma," Parvati said, whispering to Harry, as she waved at her twin. 

Padma had come in with a Ravenclaw boy. Harry noticed her shooting a huffy glare at Ron. _I wonder what that's all about? _he thought. She sat at another table. 

He raised his eyebrows a bit as he noticed Neville come in with Luna. He didn't know that Neville had asked her, but now that he thought about it, he had seen them studying together a fair amount lately. Luna looked quite pretty, in an odd Luna sort of way. Her robe was a dark purple color, but had been charmed to show orbiting planets going around her. She had an extremely large corsage pinned to her chest of some sort of tropical flower with many colors, with a matching, much smaller, flower in her hair. 

They'd been sitting for several more minutes, Harry half-listening to Parvati talk about what everyone was wearing, when he saw Ginny enter the Great Hall. His heart began thudding in his chest; she was wearing a beautiful blue robe made of silk, which seemed to float around her elegantly. Her hair was pulled behind her head and cascaded with curls loosely down her back, and she was wearing some sort of matching blue stone on a necklace around her neck. Harry stared at her for several seconds before he looked away, afraid Parvati might notice and get upset with him. 

He surreptitiously glanced back over and saw the boy she was with. Harry felt annoyed as he noticed that it was Matt Prescott, a very popular seventh year. Ginny was holding his arm, looking very happy. 

Harry glared down at the table sulkily. He wondered again why she'd been angry with him. All right, he'd asked too late... he wished he had done it sooner... but why wouldn't she just say she was already going with someone? Why was she angry with him? 

Harry forced his attention back to Parvati. Lavender and a sixth year Ravenclaw boy had joined them, as well as a few other couples. They all chatted while waiting for dinner to be served, although Ron and Hermione's attention seemed to be mostly focused on each other. 

As in Harry's fourth year, Dumbledore led the proceedings by announcing in a loud voice an item from the menu. "Rack of lamb!" His meal appeared in front of him as he gazed down with satisfaction. The rest of the hall followed suit. 

As Harry ate his dinner, he tried to avoid looking but finally searched the room for Ginny. He spotted her sitting at a table across the hall, smiling and laughing. He sighed, looking back at his table, when he noticed Hermione looking at him, her eyes moving to where he'd been looking. She gave him a sympathetic look, which only served to irritate Harry further. He wondered what Hermione suspected, and then wondered if she might have any idea why Ginny was angry with him... but he really didn't feel like talking about it with anyone. 

After the feast, Dumbledore rose from his chair and requested the students do the same. He waved his wand, and the tables cleared from the center of the room, creating a dancing space. He waved his wand again and a band platform appeared, complete with instruments. An excited buzzing ran through the room; one of the questions on everyone's mind had been who the band was going to be, and peering closely, Harry could make out 'Manticore Mike and the Stingers' on the drum. He was impressed; they were an extremely popular band this year in the wizarding world. Dumbledore must have called in some favors to get them to come on such short notice. 

The lights dimmed in the room, making the ceiling sparkle as if stars were shimmering through waving water. The band came on stage, along with Dumbledore, who stood at the front. 

"May I have your attention?" Dumbledore said in a projected voice, his eyes twinkling. The room grew quiet as the students peered toward the front of the room. 

"For our first dance, I thought we might have a little fun. Everyone who would care to participate please come out onto the dance floor," Dumbledore said, waiting for everyone to come out curiously. 

"Come on, Harry!" Parvati said, grabbing his arm firmly. Apparently she wasn't going to take any chances this time around and give Harry the option to refuse, like the last ball. Harry, feeling resigned to the fact that he would need to do some dancing, followed her dutifully. 

"First, each of you separate from your partners by milling about the floor until you can't see each other," Dumbledore said. The students glanced at each other, then began wandering about the room. 

"See you in a minute," Parvati said, smiling at him as she moved to the opposite side of the floor. Harry lost her in dim light and the crowd. 

Dumbledore waved his wand and cast a spell over the room. There was a bright flash, and then surprised laughter rang through the room. Everyone seemed to abruptly shift positions, then Harry examined himself and was shocked to find that he looked like... someone else. He glanced at a mirror on the wall and saw a strange face staring back that he vaguely recognized as a Ravenclaw boy. 

"Now then, you will have undoubtedly noticed that everyone looks like someone else," Dumbledore said, looking amused. "Your goal is to find your partner. You do this by picking someone to dance with. After you waltz for five seconds, you and your partner will see your true selves, although everyone else will still see your false selves. If you see your partner, then move off the floor. 

"There will be prizes for the first several couples. Please note that boys may look like girls, and girls may look like boys, so don't be shy about picking your partners." 

Laughter and an excited murmuring came up from the crowd. 

"Please move about, mixing yourselves up a bit more before we begin," Dumbledore said. Harry began to walk around, looking curiously at the students around him, who were not who they seemed to be. 

"Now, even if you're surprised, don't announce the name of who you were dancing with. It may tip off your opponents," Dumbledore said, chuckling. "Ready? Begin!" He gestured to the band, who started playing a slow song. 

Harry picked a girl across the floor, on the theory that Parvati was probably somewhere away from him, and he might get lucky. He walked over and spoke to the girl. She apparently looked like a seventh year. 

Harry held out his hand, "Um... care to dance?" he said awkwardly. His voice sounded utterly unlike his own. 

The girl smiled at him and took his hand. Harry could tell she was probably a girl since she allowed him to lead her, and five seconds later, his suspicions were confirmed. They suddenly turned back into their normal bodies. 

Harry was surprised as he saw Susan Bones, who blinked wide-eyed at him and grinned. "Hi... you're not my partner." 

"Nope, guess we should keep trying," Harry said, grinning back. 

"Maybe we can dance again later?" she said. 

"All right," Harry said, smiling. He'd always liked Susan. 

They released each other and turned back into their false images. The room was full of laughter and shrieking as everyone was caught by surprise in who they were dancing with. Harry danced with several other students, but was finding it difficult to find Parvati. He tried to be smart about it by looking at the dancing couples and seeing which ones allowed themselves to be led so that he would know whether they were female or not. 

Harry saw a girl that resembled Cho looking around. He hesitated, but then figured it wasn't really her, so it would be all right. At that point in the contest, the students were waltzing with whoever came into eye contact, so Harry held out his arms, and the student came to him. Harry knew as soon as they touched that it probably wasn't Parvati; they were both trying to lead each other. But then he thought that Parvati might actually try to lead, so he decided he better make certain. A few second later, he was stunned to see Malfoy, who stared back at him in shock as well. 

Malfoy smirked at him. "Try not to scuff my shoes, Potter." 

Harry released him as if his hands were on fire. It took him a few seconds to recover, before he started looking again. 

He danced with a few more students, until he began dancing with a boy whom he was fairly certain was a girl. After five seconds, he was shocked to see Ginny, who appeared just as shocked to see him. 

"Gin – I mean, hi," Harry said, feeling very shy. 

"Hi," she said frostily, still looking very upset with him. 

"You look... really, really pretty tonight," he said tentatively. 

"Thanks," she replied, only slightly less coldly. 

Harry felt very bad; he really didn't want her to be angry with him. "I'm... really sorry... about... whatever I did," Harry said, still very confused on everything. 

Ginny's eyes narrowed at him as they continued to dance. "Sorry for _exactly _what?" 

Harry thought frantically. She was angry with him for a reason; there had to be something he could say to make things better. He wracked his brain, trying to get it to cough up the answer, but try as he might, he just didn't know. 

"Um... um..." he said quickly, knowing that they had to separate and continue soon. "I'm sorry for _everything_!" he said, hoping the non-specific answer would suffice. 

"You have no idea what you're sorry about, do you?" she asked. 

Harry just fell silent, not wanting to confirm it. Ginny rolled her eyes, sighing heavily and then released him. She walked away. 

_Why can't she just tell me what I'm supposed to do? _he thought, extremely irritated. He began dancing with anyone he saw, not really caring about the contest any longer. He heard some loud laughter, and when he peered over, two seventh years had been the first couple to find each other. A few minutes later, the second couple found each other, and then the third. 

As more and more couples paired up, the crowd began to thin, and finally Harry found Parvati, who looked like a Slytherin girl. She hugged him delightedly when they saw each other, and then they moved to the side of the floor, Harry feeling relieved. 

Finally all the students were back to normal. The contest had served one purpose for Harry; he had danced with so many people that he felt a lot less shy about dancing in general. Harry danced a few more dances with Parvati, and even danced with a few girls who came up and asked him. He even had to admit that he was having some fun. 

He couldn't help but keep one eye on Ginny as she danced with Matt and other boys that seemed to be paying her a lot of attention, causing Harry to feel stabs of jealousy. 

As the band began playing a very slow song, Harry's eyes popped out a bit as he saw Professor Melanadray coming up to him. She was extremely pretty in some bright blue robes with a rather dramatic neckline. Her hair was done up in a complicated-looking plait behind her head. 

"Mr. Potter, would you care to dance?" she said, smiling warmly at him. 

Harry's breath was growing a bit shallow, but he looked over at Parvati, who was busy chatting to Lavender. "I'm going to dance with the Professor, all right?" 

"All right, Harry," said Parvati, glancing at him distractedly. She and Lavender were discussing who was wearing what, and the topic seemed to be holding their interest to a great degree. 

Harry felt very self-conscious as he walked onto the floor with Melanadray. He recalled her being about the same height as himself at the start of school, but apparently he had grown some during the year, because he was clearly taller than her now. Somehow he felt relieved about that fact. 

"I'm not very good," Harry said, feeling shy. 

"I've watched you dance with some of the other girls; you're doing fine," she said. "Just steer me about the room. I'll watch out for my feet." She laughed, causing Harry to think again that he really liked the sound of her laugh. 

As they began dancing, Harry felt very distracted touching her and standing so close. He noticed that many of the boys in the room were giving her wide-eyed looks. 

"I must say, Mr. Potter, you look very handsome tonight. Those green robes suit you," she said appreciatively. 

"Um, thanks," Harry said, blushing. "You, er, look nice, too." 

She actually looked a bit bashful at that. "Oh, well... thank you," she said, as if he had just paid her a great compliment and didn't quite deserve it. Harry felt astounded; _doesn't she know how good looking she is?_

"We never had a Ball while I was at Hogwarts," she said wistfully. "You're lucky... you've had two during your time here. I must admit I was very jealous when I heard about the Triwizard Tournament and the Yule Ball. I almost wanted to reapply to Hogwarts." 

"Yeah... I guess I'm having more fun this time around. Last time there was a lot of... pressure." 

Melanadray nodded, smiling at him. "I would say so. You know, Professor Snape invited me to visit the school and watch the tournament in person. You were... impressive." 

Harry felt embarrassed. "Well, I... don't know about that. There was some luck involved." 

She didn't reply; just continued smiling at him, her extremely blue eyes looking very pretty in the low light of the room. They fell silent, finishing out the music as they danced around the room. Finally the music ended and Harry released her. 

She leaned toward him and whispered in his ear, causing a chill to go down Harry's spine. "Thank you for the dance, Harry. Even if I didn't have a Ball of my own to go to, this makes up for it a lot." 

Harry swallowed as she strolled away. He wandered back to Parvati, feeling a bit light-headed from the whole thing. 

"Harry, would you like to take a walk outside?" Parvati asked. 

"Yeah, that sounds good," Harry said, distracted. "I'm getting a bit hot." 

"I am, too," she said, looking him in the eye. It suddenly hit Harry what he had just agreed to as she pulled him along, holding his hand. He glanced back, noticing that Ron and Hermione were dancing, and, just as they were exiting through the door, he saw Ginny shooting him a very peeved look. He groaned internally, wishing that she hadn't seen him walking out with Parvati, particularly with her holding his hand, but also feeling a bit peeved himself that she wouldn't just tell him why she was mad at him. 

They entered the rose garden, strolling along the path. The cool air felt good after all the dancing. He could feel Parvati squeezing and moving her hand against his, making him feel very nervous. Part of him rather liked what she was doing... 

He glanced over. She had a small smile on her face as she walked with him... he couldn't help but notice again that she looked very, very pretty... Parvati led him behind some bushes where they couldn't be seen.   "I'm really glad we're here together, Harry," she said, looking up at him with her dark eyes and taking a step closer. 

"Um," said Harry, noticing that she was wearing the perfume that he really liked. 

She slowly wrapped her arms around him and turned her face up to his. Harry swallowed, looking down into her eyes. He wasn't feeling particularly wanted by anyone else at that moment, and it felt good that a girl was giving him some attention. She tilted her head and slowly touched her lips to his. Harry, not really feeling like resisting, gave in and returned the kiss. 

* * * 

Harry awoke the next morning, just lying in bed, reflecting on the previous evening. On a certain level, he'd had a lot of fun at the Ball, but the ramifications of what had happened filled his head. 

What expectations did Parvati have now? After they had kissed out in the garden, she had seemed to look at him much differently, as if they were a much closer couple. Guilt rose up in Harry; there was no doubt that she fancied him, and he had just made the whole situation much more complicated. 

Harry rubbed his hands over his eyes. _Why did I do it? I knew this would happen, _he thought gloomily. Memories of kissing her came back to him... he couldn't help but be tempted for more... He angrily turned onto his side, looking at his closed curtains. 

They had been gone from the Ball for some time, and when they got back... the look he'd received from Ginny had been venomous. _How did this go so wrong? _he thought miserably. He'd wanted to take Ginny... he wanted to do something, to show her... what? Maybe he could even have been kissing _her_ out in the garden... 

But now she was angry with him, and he still wasn't exactly sure why. It certainly hadn't helped when she saw him come back with Parvati. Should he try apologizing again? That hadn't seemed to do much good last night and there was a chance he might even make it worse. 

Not feeling like seeing anyone yet, he waited until everyone had exited the dormitory before finally opening up his curtains. He sighed as he got dressed, dreading seeing Ginny and Parvati for different reasons. He slowly made his way down the stairs and out the portrait hole, trying to delay the inevitable meeting. As Harry was about to enter the Great Hall, he heard a voice calling to him. 

"Mr. Potter!" said Professor Melanadray. 

"Hello," he said politely, images of her from the previous night suddenly coming back, making him feel shy. 

"Wasn't last night wonderful?" she said brightly. "I had so much fun." 

"Yeah... fun," Harry said, the ability to form sentences seeming to fail him. 

"I'm glad I ran into you, actually," she said. "I have a favor to ask." 

"Sure," Harry said, without hesitation. 

Melanadray smiled at him warmly. "I knew you would help. I have a bit of work that I could use your assistance with, in the Potion's classroom." 

"All right," Harry said. "When?" 

"Do you mind helping after dinner tonight? They have me going to some staff meeting today, then I have to do some lesson plans," she said, rolling her eyes. "No rest for us after the Ball. Say about... eight?" 

"No problem," said Harry. 

Harry continued walking into the Great Hall, momentarily distracted from his other problems, but he was snapped back to reality as he looked around the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione had saved him a place, and directly next to the empty spot was Parvati, giving him a big smile. 

He searched around the table for Ginny, finally spotting her, sitting far away down the table. He felt a stab of irritation as he noticed Matt sitting next to her. 

He blew out a breath, trying to gather his nerve to greet Parvati, wondering what she was expecting. He pasted a neutral smile on his face as he sat down. 

"Good morning, Harry," Parvati said warmly. 

He gave her a noncommittal smile. "Hi," he said, as Ron and Hermione gave him greetings as well. He began loading up his breakfast, noticing that Parvati had scooted very close to him. 

"Harry, it looks like a beautiful day outside today," Parvati said. 

"Oh?" Harry replied. 

"I was just wondering if you'd care to... maybe go for a picnic?" she said hopefully. 

_It's already starting, _he thought with an inner groan. It didn't help that memories of kissing her were running through his head. 

He smiled at her weakly. "I really have a lot of homework to do today. You know, with the Ball yesterday, I didn't get much done." 

Her face fell in disappointment, but then she smiled at him. "I understand. I have a lot too, truth be told. Maybe we can study together today?" 

Harry didn't have the heart to turn her down twice in a row. "All right," he said. Parvati beamed at him. 

Harry picked at his breakfast, his whole life feeling immensely complicated. Over the past week, things had gone from confusing, but stable, to mystifying and out of control. He glanced down the table, just in time to catch Ginny laughing at something Matt had said, giving him a flirtatious look. Terrible thoughts filled his head about exactly which curse he should use on him. He sullenly stabbed at his eggs, wishing again she would just tell him what he did and how he could fix it. 

He glanced at Ron and Hermione, both of whom still appeared to be floating after the Ball last night. He had barely spoken to them all night; they had been too wrapped up in each other, and that was continuing this morning. Seeing them so happy seemed to only serve to make him more miserable. 

Finally feeling there were far too many irritants surrounding him, he decided to cut short his breakfast. 

"Well, I'm going to head back to the dormitory," he said, getting up from his seat. Ron and Hermione looked away from each other long enough to give him a distracted good bye. 

"See you in a little while, Harry," Parvati said happily. "I'll meet you in the common room." 

"All right," Harry said, forcing a smile to his face. He wondered if he could just come down with a mysterious illness and stay in bed the rest of the day. 

* * * 

Harry knocked on the door of the classroom as he peeked in. 

"Hello, Harry," said Melanadray brightly. "Thank you so much for helping me." 

"No problem," Harry said, entering the classroom. He noticed that, as usual, she looked very pretty in a Muggle-style dress that accentuated her figure, with her shiny blonde hair worn loosely about her shoulders. 

"It's my own fault, really," she said, smiling at him. "I ordered a batch of Potion supplies from a discount supply guild, and all the labels fell off during shipment." Her face took on an annoyed expression. "I'll certainly never use them again. It was a big batch of supplies, too. Some of them we'll be able to identify by color, but many of them we'll have to use an analysis charm." 

"Analysis charm?" Harry asked. 

"Yes, it's a very advanced charm used for identifying the makeup of potions," she said. "It's very useful, but it's not infallible for complex potions. It's fine for doing ingredients, though. Not everyone can do the charm, but I'm certain _you'll _have no trouble." 

Harry, feeling flattered, walked over next to her. "All right. Where are they?" 

"In the stockroom," she said, moving toward the door. She opened it up and Harry followed her in. He saw several hundred bottles on a work table, with a large pile of labels nearby. 

"Here we are," she said. "Let me teach you the spell, and we can get started. You need to imagine the thing to analyze separating into its component parts, with an English label. If you imagine elements, it will even tell you the elements that form the compound. This is one of my favorite spells; it's extremely interesting. Let me see your hand... watch!" she said, looking rather excited to be showing him the spell. 

She took Harry's hand in hers. Harry noticed that she had very soft hands as he felt a bit nervous. She waved her wand over his hand, looking as if she was concentrating. 

"_Analein Qualitas!_" she said. 

Little tags floated above Harry's hand. He read a few of them; the biggest one said 'hydrogen', then 'oxygen', and then 'carbon.' The rest were very small. 

"Of course, most of the hydrogen and oxygen are from the water in your body. The carbon is what most of the rest of you is made of. Neat, huh?" she said enthusiastically. 

"Yeah," Harry said, impressed. However, he had to chuckle to himself at the Professor's attitude. Her enthusiasm made her seem very young at that moment, causing him to remember that she was about twenty-three, certainly a lot younger than the other Professors. She released his hand, causing Harry to feel some disappointment. 

"You try," she said, picking up a potions bottle. "Since we just want to know what this is, just concentrate on a single label. That's a lot easier than splitting it down into components. Imagine the _essence _of what it is, if you follow me." 

"All right," he said, pulling out his wand. He gazed at the contents of the bottle, concentrating on the material and imagining a label above it... he cast the spell, and a label floated above the material that said, "Powdered spider spinners." 

"Excellent, Harry!" Melanadray said excitedly. "You did it your first time. That's very impressive." 

Harry smiled, feeling pleased by her praise. "So we just need to do that on the bottles and paste the labels back on?" he said, looking at a pile of labels nearby. 

"Yes, that's the idea. I'm certain you can do a better adhesion charm than the gits who sent me this stuff," she said, looking irritated. Somehow it seemed odd to Harry to hear a Professor use the word 'git.' 

Pulling up some stools, they sat next to each other and began analyzing the bottles, then searching for the right label and pasting it back on the bottle. 

As Harry got into a rhythm analyzing the bottles and labeling them, he found his mind wandering. He felt a lot more comfortable with the Professor; he wondered if he could ask her the question he'd been wondering since the first day. 

"Erm, Professor..." he started. 

"You may call me Melissa, if you like," she said affably. 

"Erm, Melissa," he started again. It felt odd to use her name. "May I ask you a question?" 

"Of course, Harry. Anything you like," she said, picking up another bottle. 

"I was just wondering... well, the first day, at the welcoming feast, you seemed to know me from somewhere," he started awkwardly, then continued quickly. "I could be wrong, of course..." 

Melanadray smiled slightly as she hunted through the labels, searching for the right one. She didn't say anything for a long time, making Harry wonder if she was going to answer at all. 

"I suppose it depends on what you mean by 'know.' I obviously hadn't met you before," she said, not looking at Harry, but still smiling slightly. "But it would be fair to say that I knew who you were. Well, that's not news, I know. _Everyone _knows who you are. But I..." 

She stopped and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Well, I must confess that I was looking forward to meeting you, Harry." 

A bottle nearly slipped out of Harry's hand, but he caught it in time. "What? Why?" he said, looking over at her. 

She appeared a bit shy as she glanced back. "There's a bit of a story behind that, I'm afraid. Would you care to hear it?" 

Harry nodded, very curious. 

"Well, when I was eight years old, my parents worked in the Department of Mysteries. I still don't know what they did there, but it was something very significant. It was one of the worst times of the last war, when You-Know-Who was killing a lot of people," she said, biting her lip at the memory. 

She paused, then continued. "So... my parents found out that You-Know-Who had targeted them for death. I don't know how they found out, but we were put into hiding." She paused again. "They tried to put on a brave face, but... I could tell they were very frightened. I was so terrified. I would wake up with horrible nightmares." 

Harry noticed that she had some tears in her eyes. She glanced at him and quickly swiped them away. "I'm sorry," she said, smiling at him wanly. "Unpleasant memories." 

"Anyway," she said, her voice stronger as she pulled herself together, "We were in hiding for some months. Then one day... it all ended. Thirty-first of October, 1981. The night that you defeated Voldemort. 

"It's hard to explain just how bad it was back then... how terrified everyone was. People wondered whether the _entire world _was going to fall." 

Harry nodded slowly. He had never heard anyone talk about their personal experience of that time, particularly as a child, and he found it extremely interesting. Having lost his parents, not to mention what happened with Neville's parents, he could appreciate how much fear she and her parents must have felt. 

"Anyway, you can't imagine what it was like when You-Know-Who was gone. The celebrations went on for days. And at the center of it all was... you. It was all such a mystery; how did you survive? And where exactly were you? The mystery just added to the whole thing," she said. 

"And..." she paused, looking very embarrassed. 

"What?" Harry asked, curious about what was so difficult to say. 

"You're going to think this is stupid," she said, actually blushing a little. 

"It's all right," Harry said. 

"Well, I was eight years old, remember. I used to pretend that you and I would meet someday... and I would be able to thank you for saving my mum and dad... I made up little stories... about... you and I..." she said, looking even more embarrassed. "I told you it was stupid." 

Harry felt a bit uncomfortable by the whole idea, but couldn't help but feel some pride at having helped her family, even though he couldn't really take any direct credit for it. It was certainly interesting hearing a story from the point of view of someone having lived through it. He was suddenly reminded of the little girl Mary, who had sent him a letter. 

"So... when I was offered the job at Hogwarts, part of why I came was the chance to meet you... and thank you," she said. 

"You know, I didn't really do anything worth thanking me for," he said modestly. 

"I know; you were just a baby. But even so... I've been following you through Hogwarts... you're a very powerful wizard, Harry," she said. She looked him straight in the eye. "I suspect there's a lot that isn't public about what happened that night. It's not luck that you survived, was it? And even now, you're at the center of what's going on, aren't you?" 

Harry swallowed, his eyes darting away. 

"It's all right, you don't have to answer," she paused and smiled at him. "You know, when I took this job, I must admit I was also a little apprehensive about meeting you."   "Apprehensive? To meet me?" Harry asked incredulously. 

Melanadray laughed. "You know what's so cute about you, Harry, is that you have no idea who you really are. And that was the biggest shock to me. That, after everything, you could still be so... normal. And yet... not so normal, if that makes any sense." 

Harry said nothing; not certain what to say to that. 

"You know, it's rather... disconcerting to meet someone whom you only know by reputation. You wonder if they'll disappoint you... but you..." she trailed off and turned back to the bottles. She suddenly changed the subject. "I suppose we should keep labeling, if we're going to get this done tonight." 

Harry wondered what she was going to say. He'd certainly always been a disappointment to the Dursleys. 

"But me... what?" he said tentatively, wondering if he should really ask. 

Melanadray fell silent as she picked up a Potions bottle and waved her wand over, giving the analysis incantation. As she began hunting for the proper label, she finally replied. "But you... were much... more... than I ever expected." she said, looking rather bashful as she avoided his eyes. 

Harry felt quite a bit of heat in his face as he picked up a bottle of his own and identified it. There was a long silence as they both labeled bottles for some minutes. 

"Do you want a Butterbeer, Harry?" she said. "I think I want a Butterbeer. Quite the confessional tonight, isn't it?" She chuckled. 

"All right," Harry said, thinking that a Butterbeer sounded really good. She walked over to a cabinet and extracted out two bottles, handing one to Harry. 

"To the defeat of You-Know-Who," she said, holding up her bottle. 

"Yeah," Harry said, clinking his bottle to hers. They both took a long drink. The warmth of the drink felt good to Harry after all their serious conversation. There was another long silence as they worked their way through more labeling. 

"Harry?" Melanadray said, glancing over. 

"Yeah?" he asked, attaching a label. 

"You're going to be seventeen this summer, aren't you?" she asked. 

"Erm... yeah..." he replied, wondering why she was asking. 

She smiled as she picked up another bottle and held it up to her eye. "I think this is ground rat tail," she said. "Seventeen... you'll be of age. Have you thought about what you want to... do?" 

"Do?" he said, confused at what she was talking about. 

"Well, you'll be a legal adult. You can do... anything you like," she said. 

"Well, I'll come back here for my seventh year," he said. 

"Of course. But I meant during the summer. Haven't you ever wanted to, say, travel?" she asked. 

"I guess I hadn't really thought about it," Harry said. Could he do that? Just... travel? Do whatever he wanted? It was odd, but the whole idea of adult freedom seemed like such an 'after Hogwarts' concept. Yet... she was right. Technically, in only a matter of months, he could do... whatever he wanted. 

"Every summer, I usually live for a few months in Greece, on the Mediterranean. My parents have a villa there on the beach that they live in during the winter months. It's beautiful... the village is a bit like Hogsmeade; it's a completely wizard village, one of the few in that part of the world," she said. "I'm often there... alone... unless friends come and visit me." 

Harry nodded. "It sounds really nice," he said. 

"I _really_ enjoy having friends visit me, you know," she said, carefully inspecting another bottle. 

"Yeah, I bet that's fun," Harry said, pasting on another label. 

Melanadray let out a small sigh, then looked at him directly, giving him a very warm smile. "You know... if you ever decided to travel... and found yourself in that area... perhaps you could stop in and say hello. I could... show you around." 

A chill ran down Harry's spine as he finally caught up to what she was saying. He looked back at her, noticing once again how pretty she was... thoughts of visiting Greece filled his head as he imagined her on the beach... swimming in the ocean... wearing... he gulped. 

"Maybe... we'll see," he said, nervousness filling him. 

"Think about it," she said, turning back to the bottles. "We would have a lot of fun." 

They finished the rest of the bottles as her offer seemed to rattle around in his head. After they completed the labeling, he helped her put them on the shelf. 

"Thank you so much for helping, Harry," she said, smiling. "It was also nice to have some company while doing it." 

"No problem," he said. 

There was a long pause as they looked at each other. "Well, you should probably go," she said. "I suppose I'll stay and finish up a few things for class tomorrow." 

Harry was tempted to ask her if she needed any more help, but thought better of it. "All right. Well, good night," he said. 

"Good night, Harry. Sleep well," she said, giving him a wink. 

As Harry walked back to Gryffindor Tower, her words floated in his mind... _You'll be a legal adult... you can do anything you like. _It was true... He _could _do anything he liked. He could travel... or even... not go back to Hogwarts, if he didn't want to. Visions of traveling the world filled his head... he couldn't help but imagine visiting Melissa... no more stress, no more pressure, no more Dursleys, no more Dumbledore, no more expectations. He could certainly afford it; he had more than enough gold in his bank vault. Temptation filled him... the freedom would be so wonderful... 

He slowed in the hallway as reality hit him like a physical blow. He almost grew dizzy, staggering onto a stone bench next to a statue of some unknown wizard... his thoughts seemed to echo down the empty corridor... travel... freedom... all of it was just a fantasy. Powerful despair gripped him as he realized that none of it mattered... there was no escape for him, no options, nothing, in the face of simple facts: _I'm the only one that can defeat him, and one of us has to die._

Harry dropped his face into his hands, and just sat, alone. 

* * * 

_A/N: Major thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review! _

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	26. Chapter 25 Breakdown

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 25: Breakdown_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

_Harry walked into the Great Hall, music floating through the air. He saw various couples dancing on the floor, spinning about the room. He realized that he didn't have a partner, that he was at the Ball by himself. He needed to find Ginny, she had to be there somewhere..._

_Walking slowly across the floor, he saw many students that he knew. They smirked at him as they passed, making Harry feel very alone and left out. Finally he spotted Ginny across the floor, dancing with Matt. He anxiously moved toward her... she was angry with him, he needed to talk to her..._

_"Ginny!" he called out as dancers blocked him frustratingly. If he could just reach her..._

_"Please! I'm so sorry..." he begged, trying to get her to come to him. She seemed to ignore him as she smiled warmly at Matt, who pulled her in closer. Their faces were very close now..._

_Harry felt very angry... he felt his wand in his hand, as he gripped it tightly... he could make Matt let her go if he wanted. But he wanted Ginny to come to him..._

_"Please, Ginny, I wanted to ask you... I'm sorry I took so long..." he said desperately._

_Ron and Hermione danced by, looking into each other's eyes happily. Hermione glanced over to him. "She got over you, Harry. Did you really think she would make the same mistake twice?"_

_Ginny and Matt slowly leaned in together and began kissing... Rage and jealousy flared in Harry as he watched it...They pulled back and Ginny finally looked at him._

_"Ginny?" Harry asked tentatively._

_She laughed at him. "Really, Harry. Did you think that I would just sit around waiting for you to ask? Give me one good reason why I would want to go with you."_

_Harry opened his mouth, but nothing came out... He couldn't think of a reason._

_"I thought so. Goodbye, Harry," she said, and danced away from him._

_He stood rooted to his spot, the couples spinning about the floor, all around him, laughing at him... Despair ran through him, he had to talk to her, to try and explain... he began to run after her..._

_Harry felt a very odd shift..._

_He walked through a strange tunnel, sharp rocks jutting out, almost seeming to try and reach out to cut him. The air was damp and stale, with a feeling of being deep underground. Torches lit his way as he moved deeper, deeper into the earth..._

_Harry felt fearful... he was oddly drawn to this place, there were things here... desirable, necessary things. Things were growing in these caverns... transforming, turning from something plentiful to something rare..._

_And someone needed these things._

_He broke out into a huge cavern, the walls very smooth, but the ceiling was too high to see. Boulders larger than himself were strewn about, seeming to form a maze as his view of the entire cavern floor was blocked. He could hear strange sounds echoing within, footsteps, hammers... flames and bellows? Harry wasn't certain..._

_He was walking among the boulders when suddenly he had a very odd feeling... a coldness filled him, a cold... satisfaction. His plans were coming together nicely. No one suspected..._

_He was waiting for something... for someone... his enemy. It wasn't a certainty... but he felt it was only a matter of time before the enemy came searching... searching for remnants...he just had to be patient, and the enemy would come to him... and when the enemy did... he would be ready._

* * * 

Harry opened his eyes, his scar flaring agonizingly... a low moan escaped him as the pain caused his legs to pull into a fetal position... he stuck his fist in his mouth, trying to suppress the noise so that no one would hear. Every muscle was tensed as he rocked his whole body on the bed... 

Finally the pain faded and he slowly relaxed, legs still pulled in, as the images from the dream ran through his head. His scar had been very quiet this year, so he supposed he should be thankful for that, but the dream had left him badly shaken. 

_What a great start to the day_, he thought with irritation. He ripped open his curtains and saw that everyone else had already headed down to breakfast. Still very drained from his dream, he began to dress, feeling like he'd hardly slept at all. 

He stared bleary-eyed into his mirror, wondering about his dream of Ginny. It was almost a week since the Ball, and relations with her were still somewhat strained. Every day he had thought about apologizing again, but memories of his failure on the dance floor kept him from trying again. Things had seemed to be a little less tense in the last few days... but they still weren't back to normal by any means. He had half-hoped she might skip dinner and he could take her down to the kitchens, but she had been in the Great Hall every night. 

He still felt very confused about his feelings. He did know that it hurt him for her to be angry with him, and he felt extremely frustrated that he didn't know how to make it better. He angrily walked back to his bed to put on his shoes. 

Suddenly a stab of pain shot up his toe. "_Ow_!" he screamed, as he realized he had just accidentally kicked his trunk. _"Bloody damn thing!" _he shouted.He reached down and punched the trunk with his fist, sending a sharp pain through his hand as well. He sat down on his bed, seething as he reached for his shoes. 

Finally dressed, he stalked toward the door, his mood blacker than it had been in some time. He walked sullenly down the stairs through the common room, which was rather empty at the hour. He slammed open the portrait hole, and the Fat Lady glared at him. 

"Well!" she snapped. "Whatever the problem is, it's certainly not _my _fault!" 

Harry ignored her, stomping down the hallway. _What next? _he thought irritably. 

Entering the Great Hall, he saw everyone in the middle of breakfast. Hermione and Ron had saved a spot for him. He noticed that Ginny was sitting with her friends down the table as he sat down in the chair and grumbled a hello. 

"Hello, Harry!" Hermione said brightly. "Did you oversleep this morning?" Somehow her happy manner just irritated him more. 

"Mornin', mate," Ron said through a mouthful of food. 

Suddenly ravenous, Harry loaded up his plate. He was just about to take a bite when Malfoy sauntered up wearing a smirk, apparently in the mood to annoy people. 

A sinking feeling ran through Harry. _Oh no, not today. Please, not Malfoy, _he thought, irritation already rising quickly just seeing Malfoy's mocking face. He started rubbing his temples, a headache coming on. 

"I couldn't help but notice that the great Potter was a bit late this morning. Saving the world, no doubt. Don't you want to enthrall us all with your latest exploit?" said Malfoy, sneering. Harry ignored him. 

"Don't you have something better to do, Malfoy?" said Hermione, annoyed. 

"Who has _anything _better to do than listen to the illustrious Potter?" said Malfoy. 

"Why don't you just leave, Malfoy," Harry said quietly. 

"So. Potter can actually speak. I was afraid that perhaps you had to get permission from your motor-mouth girlfriend. Does she do all the speaking for you?" Malfoy shot a glance at Parvati. She looked embarrassed from down the table. Harry's eyes burned at Malfoy. 

"Or perhaps there's another girlfriend. Wouldn't it be like a Potter to go for a – _redhead_. Like father, like son, eh, Potter?" 

"I'm warning you, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood. That's enough," Harry said, low and dangerous. Hermione looked worriedly between the two of them. 

"Sod off, Malfoy, before I do something I'll regret," said Ron. "On second thought, I doubt anything I did I would later regret." 

"Ah, the weasel. Tell me, Weasley, just what is it like? You know, I personally would never sink that low, but I'm curious. Exactly what is it like snogging a Mudblood?" he said snidely. 

"_That's it!" _Harry jumped to his feet, enraged. He pulled his wand, aiming at Malfoy. Even Ron appeared startled by the look in Harry's eye, which seemed to drain Ron's own anger. 

"Apologize, _now!" _Harry snapped. 

Malfoy pulled his own wand. Harry felt a surge of adrenalin and barely spoke "_Expelliarmus!_" when Malfoy's wand whipped out of his hand and flew fifty feet across the hall. Malfoy looked down at his hand and an unmistakable look of fear came on his face. 

"_Apologize!" _Harry said, louder. The Hall grew quieter as the students noticed something unusual happening. The other Gryffindors looked on in fascination at the two of them. 

Malfoy stared down at Harry's wand pointed at his heart and seemed unable to speak. His mouth was open, but no words came out. Harry's rage surged at the silence, as his hand tightened on his wand, and suddenly everything burst out of him, a dam of anger breaking. All the stress, all the expectations, and all of his torments seemed embodied in Malfoy. 

"So, Malfoy. You want to be a Death Eater, do you? How about if I show you what your master does to people who don't obey? I have personal experience, you know," Harry said, a hot fury running through him. 

_"Adfectus Anfractum!_" Harry hissed, casting the manipulation spell, the spell that Voldemort had used on him in the graveyard after the Triwizard Tournament. Suddenly Malfoy was gripped in an iron force. Harry twisted him around and then pushed him down. Malfoy dropped to his knees before Hermione like a puppet. 

Harry gave a cold smile. "Now, beg for forgiveness, Malfoy. Get used to it; _Voldemort _will want you to do it." 

"_Beg!" _Harry snapped, twisting his wand and tightening the grip. Malfoy cried out in pain. 

Malfoy's face was twisted in stark, pained fear, giving Harry a savage pleasure. He seemed unable to bring himself back under control. Snippets of fleeting thought ran through his head... _I could hurt him... Just a twist of the wand... He deserves it... All these years of hurting everyone else..._

Hermione's voice seemed to break into his thoughts from far away. "Harry! Stop, please, stop..." Harry looked up at her. She was crying hysterically. "Harry! Listen to me, stop this!" 

Seeing Hermione's sobbing caused Harry's anger to evaporate as quickly as it had come. He lifted the spell, and Malfoy dropped to the ground, shaking uncontrollably, his face grimacing in pain. Harry slowly realized in horror what he had done, and what he had been contemplating. His wand slipped from his fingers, dropping loudly to the floor in the dead silence of the hall. 

He abruptly noticed how quiet it was and glanced around. The entire hall was on its feet, staring at the scene in abject shock and horror. All the teachers were on their feet as well, except for Dumbledore. Most of the teachers had stunned expressions on their faces, although McGonagall's face was a combination of shock and anger, and Snape was staring coldly at the scene with his arms crossed. Dumbledore's face was unreadable, as he sat watching, his fingers laced together. 

Harry looked back at his table. Ron's jaw was hanging open, seemingly unable to process what had just happened. Harry looked down the table and locked eyes with Ginny, and what he saw chilled his heart. He saw fear in her eyes, as she quickly looked away. That seemed to drain the last of his energy out of him, and he fell into his chair, burying his head in his hands. _What did I do? _he thought, as a deep shame came over him. He heard Malfoy finally get up and stagger away, but he didn't look up. He didn't think he could face anyone ever again. 

He heard footsteps come up behind him. "Mr. Potter, perhaps you'd better come with me." It was Dumbledore, his voice gentle, but solemn. 

He brought his head up and nodded at Dumbledore. He retrieved his wand and put it away in his robe. He avoided everyone's eyes as he walked out, a nervous murmuring having replaced the dead silence. 

He followed Dumbledore down the passageways. Somehow he could feel the disappointment from him, and it made his shame even worse. How had he lost control so badly? He just wanted to run away, run from Hogwarts, his friends, everyone. 

Ginny's fearful face came to him again, and he felt a terrible pain. He had been struggling with his feelings for her, but somehow seeing her afraid of him had put his feelings in sharp relief. He realized how important she was to him, and he had destroyed everything in all of two minutes. _She probably hates me now, _he thought miserably. 

"Toffee Bean," Dumbledore said, as they reached his office. The statue slid aside and Harry followed him into the chamber. Harry fell into a chair, and Dumbledore took his seat behind his desk. 

Dumbledore paused, gathering his thoughts. Harry squirmed, wondering if he would be expelled. _I probably should be expelled, _he thought gloomily. 

"Harry, do you know what you did?" Dumbledore said finally. 

"I-I got angry at Malfoy," Harry said nervously. 

"Yes, you did. But you didn't just get angry, did you?" 

"No, sir. I guess – I lost control," said Harry. 

Dumbledore nodded approvingly. "Yes. That's it exactly. We all get angry, Harry. It's a perfectly natural response, and an important one. Anger is what we use to correct wrongs in the world. Anger is what shows we care. What's important is how we handle our anger, and how we use our strong emotions." 

Harry nodded. 

"That spell you used was very powerful, Harry. And very dangerous. It's not an Unforgivable, but it's one that's rarely used on human beings. Do you know why?" 

"I-I think I know... The book had some warnings..." 

"That spell is difficult to control. One can push someone down, as you did. Or one can shatter their limbs. Break their back. Snap their neck. Crush their skull. It only takes a twist of the wand, Harry," Dumbledore said gravely. 

Harry felt a chill go down his spine. If it was possible, he felt even worse. 

"Or, I should say, _you _could make those things happen," Dumbledore said. 

Harry looked up, confused. 

"Harry, it's time for us to talk about your power," Dumbledore continued. "Not many can even make that spell work, much less work as – violently – as you made it work. You're beginning to get your adult powers. As you probably know, powers increase through childhood, much like the way a child grows taller. 

"I'm certain you've noticed a bit of an, ah, increase, haven't you?" Dumbledore asked. 

"Erm, yes, sir," Harry said tentatively. "Did you know... it was happening?" 

"Yes," he replied. "I've watched your powers grow this past year, and they have become exceptionally strong. You may wonder why we haven't discussed it before now. I've tried to give you space to explore them; power is not something that can be easily explained. It is something that has to be ultimately discovered – and mastered – by oneself. 

"For you, Harry, self control is the most critical thing you will learn here at Hogwarts. You needed to learn to control your power not because I, or anyone else, tells you it's important, but because _you _know it's important. The lessons we learn on our own are the strongest and most lasting. 

"However, I had frankly hoped that you would be more in control of your emotions," Dumbledore said remorsefully. 

Harry had a thought. "Is that why you gave me the Pensieve?" 

Dumbledore smiled. "Yes. I hoped that you would use it to come to better terms with your life." 

"It helped a lot, Professor. I know you can't tell by what happened today," he said bitterly. "I am so sorry. I don't know how it got away from me. Just – everything – seemed to come to a head today." Harry paused. "Er, sir, am I to be expelled?" he said fearfully. 

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. "Well, Harry, do you think you deserve to be expelled?" 

Harry's shame seemed to force an answer out of him. "Yes," he said quietly. 

Dumbledore nodded. "I am happy you are willing to take responsibility for this action. Fortunately, you didn't seriously injure Mr. Malfoy. I don't want to minimize the seriousness of the charge, but I believe that expulsion is not warranted in this case." 

Harry felt some slight relief at this. 

"Shall we say two weeks detention with Professor McGonagall? I am certain she will think of a suitable punishment," Dumbledore said. Harry nodded. 

"The next part of your punishment is perhaps even worse than expulsion." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I think a sincere, formal apology to Mr. Malfoy is in order. I think you can take care of that business by yourself, can't you?" 

Harry felt a sense of dread. "Yes, sir." 

"I know that you will do an admirable job of it," Dumbledore said, amused. 

Dumbledore's expression grew grave once again. "One last thing. And because of the nature of this, I will make it optional. But I ask you to strongly consider my – request for this because I feel it's important that you see it." 

Harry felt curiosity and anxiety fill him. 

"I would like you to review your actions that just transpired in the Pensieve," Dumbledore said solemnly. 

Harry closed his eyes. The last thing he ever wanted to see again was what had just happened. He wanted to shake his head and decline, but then a sense of responsibility came over him. He did it. He should pay whatever penance was appropriate. He opened his eyes and silently nodded. 

Dumbledore rose from his chair and retrieved Harry's Pensieve from his library. He placed it in front of him, and then left the room, leaving Harry by himself. 

Harry stared at the Pensieve, just sitting with it for several minutes. He seemed unable to make himself move. Finally, he drew his wand and pulled the memory from his head into the basin. He touched his wand to the memory, watching it swirl around, forming the window. He took a deep breath as his heart started pounding in his chest. He entered the memory. 

He watched the scene, seeing the petulant anger on his face as he stomped into the hall. Had he really been that angry over things? His dream, his foot? Malfoy's insults were annoying, but Malfoy had fought with words, not a wand. It was Harry that had drawn the wand. 

He saw himself rise after Malfoy's final insult, a look of insanity in his eyes. A chill ran down his spine as he watched himself force Malfoy down. He felt sick to his stomach at the display of power and control that he had exercised, the same display that Voldemort had done to him. He looked at Ron and Hermione. Both had fear in their eyes, as Hermione started crying. Harry couldn't take any more. He turned away, closing his eyes as tears began to burn them. 

He heard his wand drop to the floor, and he knew that he was seeing Ginny's fear. He knew he couldn't bear to see that again. 

He kept his eyes closed until he felt himself flipping back out of the Pensieve. He sat in the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk, his eyes wet with tears. A few minutes later Dumbledore came up behind him. He put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. He moved around his desk and sat down again. 

"I can't believe I really did that," Harry said emotionally. "I am so sorry, Professor." 

"The fact that you feel this much pain over the incident says a lot about your character. I am pleased that you chose to face it," Dumbledore said. 

Dumbledore paused, his face showing an odd, uncharacteristic apprehension. "Harry, I am not proud of this, but I had a similar incident in my youth." 

Harry was shocked. "_You, _sir?" 

"Yes. I was about your age, in fact. A long, long time ago." Dumbledore seemed to look far away for a moment. "Here at Hogwarts. A student named Cyrus Duntleworth. He was similar, er, in nature to young Mr. Malfoy. He was a Slytherin and loved to stir the pot at the Gryffindor table." 

Dumbledore sighed. "One day, he was making some trivial insult. I don't even remember what it was or who it was against. One of my friends, I'm certain. But he caught me at the wrong time, and I hit him with a very powerful, and very dangerous, spell. It doesn't matter what it was, but it put him in the infirmary for several days. I was this," Dumbledore held up his thumb and finger close together, "close to expulsion. Fortunately, I wasn't expelled. I was very grateful to the Headmaster. 

"But Harry, although in the end nothing was permanently damaged, I still feel the shame to this day. What I want you to understand is that this happens to wizards. Great power brings with it great temptation to use it." 

Ragnok's words at Gringotts suddenly came back to Harry. 

Dumbledore continued. "That is one reason why we have so many strict laws about magical use around Muggles. It's not just to hide our presence, although that's the major reason. It's also for the Muggle's protection. You don't have to be a powerful wizard to cause great torment in the Muggle world," he explained. 

"Every strong wizard must eventually deal with the lure of power, Harry. This is only one incident along a very long road of temptation. Learn from it, but also forgive yourself. You're not the first one, nor will you be the last." 

Dumbledore rose, and Harry took that as a signal that their business was done. "Thank you, sir – for everything," Harry said contritely. 

"You're welcome, Harry." Dumbledore gave him a gentle smile as Harry exited. 

Harry left his office and broke out into the corridor. He started wandering toward Gryffindor Tower, hoping to find Ron and Hermione. He noticed the students he saw on the way were avoiding looking at him. He sighed. He was certain there would be a lot of that over the next few days. 

He came up to the portrait hole. The Fat Lady gave him a dirty look, causing him to feel guilty over slamming it earlier. 

"Er, I'm sorry I closed you so hard earlier. It's been a rough day," The Fat Lady appeared slightly mollified. "Oh, and the password is 'lion's paw.' " She swung the door open in a petulant manner. Apparently she was still miffed at him. 

Harry climbed through the hole and scanned the room, looking for Ron and Hermione, whom he saw at a table in the corner. He hesitated slightly, wondering how they felt about what happened this morning. The other Gryffindors glanced up at him, then quickly looked away as he made his way over, badly needing to talk to them. He pulled up a chair with his back to everyone so he wouldn't have to see all the looks. 

"Are you all right, Harry?" Hermione said concerned. 

"What did Dumbledore say?" asked Ron. 

"First, I want to apologize to both of you. I'm sorry for losing control like that," he said remorsefully. 

"That's all right, Harry. We know that wasn't really you. You know that, don't you? You know that we're still behind you?" said Hermione intently. 

Harry felt a surge a gratitude. He felt like he didn't deserve friends like this. "Thanks. That really means a lot," he said. 

"No problem, mate. Malfoy's enough to make anyone lose control," Ron said darkly. 

Harry sighed. "Yeah, but no one deserved that." 

"So what did Dumbledore say? You're not expelled, are you?" Ron said, worried. 

"No, I'm okay. Two weeks detention from McGonagall. Oh, and I have to apologize to Malfoy." 

Ron made a disgusted face. "I'd take four weeks over apologizing to that git." 

"It's fine. I deserve it. I hate to admit it, but Malfoy deserves an apology," said Harry. 

Harry paused. "Um, did you, erm, see what happened to Ginny?" he asked, looking away. 

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. Hermione spoke carefully. "Well, we haven't seen her since – this morning. Harry, truthfully, she looked very upset." 

"Wonderful," said Harry, rubbing his head. "Well, I guess I might as well get Malfoy's apology out of the way." 

"Good luck, mate," said Ron sympathetically. 

Harry got up and moved to the portrait hole. Harry opened and closed the picture extra gently, and the Fat Lady gave him a smiling expression of approval. _Well, at least someone's forgiven me, _he thought morosely. 

He headed down to the Slytherin dungeons, dreading seeing Malfoy and delivering the apology. He saw a group of Slytherins loitering in the corridor, just outside their door. They abruptly stopped talking when he walked up, causing Harry to suspect that they had been talking about him, as they gave him a wary look. 

"Have any of you lot seen Malfoy?" Harry asked guardedly. 

They looked suspiciously at him. One of them spoke up. "Going to finish the job, Potter?" 

"Just tell me where he is, will you?" he said, irritated. 

"He's in the common room," the Slytherin said. 

"Would you ask him to come out? I want to talk to him," Harry said. 

"Why?" another Slytherin asked distrustfully. 

"None of your business. I just want to talk to him," Harry said. 

They appeared as if they wanted to be obstinate, but finally one of them went into the Slytherin common room to fetch Malfoy. Harry waited a few minutes and finally Malfoy came out. 

"Well, well, well. The great Harry Potter deigns to visit the Slytherin Dungeons. What is it, Potter? Did you need me to grovel before _you _this time?" he drawled sarcastically. 

_Apparently his mouth wasn't affected by this morning, _Harry thought, annoyed. Determined to get it over as soon as possible, Harry ignored his bating. "Look, Malfoy, just come with me, all right? I want to talk to you alone." The other Slytherins had been listening carefully and narrowed their eyes at this. 

"Don't want any witnesses this time, Potter?" Malfoy said. 

Harry gritted his teeth. "Just come, all right? I'm not going to hurt you." 

Malfoy seemed to see this as a challenge to his courage as he pushed past Harry. "As if I'm afraid of the likes of _you_, Potter. Come on, then. I suppose I can spare you a few moments of my valuable time. I expect you to remember this _favor _in the future." 

Harry's irritation was growing, but was determined not to let Malfoy get to him. He felt he probably deserved to let Malfoy have some free shots. 

They walked away from the Slytherin corridor and moved to a neutral area without any students. "Well, Potter? Let me guess. You want me to ask my father about joining the Dark Lord's inner circle. Your audition this morning was very effective, I must say," he said cuttingly. 

Harry held his tongue with great effort. 

"All right, Potter. I'm busy. Get to the point," Malfoy said arrogantly. 

"Fine, Malfoy. I just want to – apologize. That's it. I shouldn't have lost control like that, no matter what." Harry said, trying with difficulty for sincerity. 

Malfoy raised his eyebrows, surprised. "An apology, Potter? How – _Gryffindor_ of you," he said mockingly. "But seeing as I'm the injured party, don't you think a more, well, _Slytherin _manner of atonement is appropriate?" Malfoy had a large grin on his face. 

Harry's eyes narrowed at him. "What d'you mean, Slytherin manner of atonement?" 

"Why Potter, you really don't understand us, do you? Come on, think harder." 

Harry suddenly saw what he was driving at. "All right, Malfoy, I get it. What exactly do you want?" 

Malfoy grinned even wider. "Well, let's see. Something that, shall we say, evens the humiliation score. How about this, Potter. I think I would like you to polish and tune my broomstick. In the Great Hall. During breakfast. At the Slytherin table. You do that and all is forgiven." He laughed loudly at Harry. 

Harry ran his hands through his hair. Why couldn't he just ask for a slug-eating hex? But he knew that he deserved at least this much. It did do something to even the score. And there was a positive aspect to it – it would be a public apology and everyone would know that he took it seriously that he regretted his actions. It was worth it just for that. 

"All right, Malfoy. Agreed. Bring your broom tomorrow morning," Harry said resignedly. 

Malfoy gave another hearty laugh. "Brilliant! I love you Gryffindors. You'll do anything to preserve your precious _honor_." 

Harry didn't want to take any chances on saying anything he might regret, so he thought he better get away. "Whatever you say, Malfoy. I'll bring my cleaning kit tomorrow." Harry started walking away. 

Malfoy called after him. "Just make certain you use _quality _polish, Potter. None of that rubbish that Weasley probably uses." 

Harry sighed. The worst part of it was done. He suddenly realized he had a class soon, and ran to get his books. He met Ron and Hermione going into advanced Charms class. 

"Did you do it?" Hermione asked. 

"Yeah. It went about the way you would expect, except Malfoy asked me for a 'favor' to make up for it," said Harry. 

"A favor?" Ron asked suspiciously. 

"Yes, but I actually don't mind. He wants me to polish his broomstick at breakfast tomorrow," said Harry. "and I have to sit at the Slytherin table." 

"That git," Ron said disgustedly. "It figures he would ask for something like that." 

"Well, this will show everyone that I'm really sorry about it happening. I'd rather polish his broom than walk around having everyone afraid that I'm going to explode at any second. And really, I'm glad he asked for something. I don't want to owe him anything," Harry said. 

Harry spent the rest of the day trying to get through his classes and endure the various looks from his classmates. Most appeared to want to avoid him, but he couldn't help but notice that many gave him surreptitious looks of approval. Somehow the approval disturbed him more than those who shunned him. 

He also saw McGonagall, who sternly told him to report to her office that evening after dinner. The expression on her face told him that it was going to be a long two weeks. 

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally exited his last class in the mid afternoon. He had been thinking all day about trying to track down Ginny, to explain his behavior in some way. He wasn't certain what was going through her mind, but he had to try. 

He walked in through the portrait hole (the Fat Lady appeared to be completely back to normal, to his relief). He asked a few people, who gave him wary looks, but no one had seen her. Finally he saw Colin. 

"Colin, have you seen Ginny?" Harry asked. 

"Um..." He appeared reluctant to talk to Harry. 

"Come on, Colin, have you seen her or not?" said Harry, a bit irritated. Colin had never been one of his favorite people. 

"Well, I thought I saw her heading around the lake after her last class, not too long ago," he said, a bit distrustfully. 

"Thanks," Harry ran upstairs to get a cloak. The weather was clear, but it was quite chilly outside. 

He was heading down a corridor toward the front of the castle when he saw Parvati. She saw him, and her expression immediately grew guarded. Harry thought he better stop and talk to her as well. In fact, now that he thought about, Parvati had seemed down for the past few days. He hadn't thought much about it... 

"Hi, Parvati," he said, a bit nervously. 

"Hello, Harry. I've been looking for you. It wasn't easy to talk to you in class, and you were running in and out in a hurry." She gave a ghost of a smile. "I wanted to make certain you were all right." She appeared rather sad at this speech. 

"Look, Parvati. I'm really, really sorry about what happened. It shouldn't have happened. I hope I didn't frighten you or anything." 

"Oh no, I know that Malfoy can get under anyone's skin. I'm surprised it hadn't happened before now. I hope you didn't get in too much trouble." She still seemed gloomy about something. 

"I'll be all right." Harry paused, wondering why she appeared so down. She didn't seem all that concerned about the events of the morning. "Parvati, is something else, er, wrong?" 

"Oh, Harry, I shouldn't talk to you about this now. You've already had such a dreadful day," she said. 

Harry sighed. _What else was going to happen today?_ "It's all right. Go ahead." 

Parvati glanced around. Seeing no one else was listening, she said, "Harry..." she gave a long pause, and took a deep breath. "We went to the Ball together, and you've barely spoken to me since then. I just – need to know. How do you feel about me?" she looked down and away nervously. 

Harry's brain locked up. She had asked such a broad question... how could he answer it about anybody? 

"I... just... don't know," he said finally. 

"I guess it's pretty obvious how I feel about you," she laughed, a little bitterly. "I suppose I should take a hint, right? Harry, sometimes it seems like you tolerate me, but don't really... like me." 

Harry felt shameful. It was certainly true that he had taken her to the Ball after Ginny's rejection more out of the fact that she was pretty, and that she seemed to want to, rather than any real feelings on his part. And if he were really honest with himself, he had only asked her because he knew she wouldn't turn him down. 

"I'm sorry... I guess it's hard for me to talk about – this sort of thing," Harry said awkwardly. "Parvati – I do like you... I have fun with you... I think you're very pretty..." 

"But..." said Parvati, her eyes downcast. 

"I guess... I just... don't... feel that way about you," Harry said. He just wanted to pry up one of the stones in the floor and crawl underneath. 

She nodded sadly, as tears came to her eyes. "I guess I already knew that. Thank you for being honest with me. I suppose I should also thank you for giving me a chance, even if it didn't work out." She swiped at her eyes. "Look at me. I promised myself I wouldn't cry. You've had enough of that before." She chuckled. 

She looked him in the eye. "Harry, for what it's worth, I think you are a wonderful man. Not because you're famous, but because of who you are. You will defeat You-Know-Who. I know you will." 

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck, Harry." She smiled at him. "I saw Ginny walking toward the lake." 

Harry gave a start. "Er, how did you know I was...?" 

"I'm not blind, Harry. I like Ginny. I'm glad you have someone that you care about." She started walking away, her head held high, a proud Gryffindor. 

* * * 

Harry exited the castle through the front doors, feeling a crisp chill on his face. He looked across the lake, and thought he saw someone that might be Ginny walking along the edge. 

He started jogging, trying to catch up with her. It felt good to be outdoors, releasing some of the pent-up energy that all of the events of the day had filled him with. He saw a flash of red hair up ahead, as he closed the distance. 

"Ginny!" he called out. She stopped and turned around, waiting for him to catch up. 

"Hello, Harry," she said quietly, her face guarded. 

Harry had felt he had a lot of things he wanted to say to her, but they all seemed to have left his head now that he was with her. 

"Hi, Ginny. Erm, can I walk with you?" he said, trying to buy time. 

"All right." She started walking again. Harry moved alongside of her, a bit out of breath. 

They walked in a tense silence. Harry's mind was racing as he tried to figure out the best way to talk to her. The fearful look she had on her face came back to him, which seemed to make it incredibly difficult to say anything. 

"I am so sorry, Ginny, about this morning. I just – lost control. I don't know what's wrong with me." 

Ginny nodded, her expression still guarded. "It's all right, Harry. What did Dumbledore say?" 

"He gave me two weeks detention. And I had to apologize to Malfoy. I did that already, at least. It wasn't easy," he said. 

"I'm certain it wasn't," she said, a bit vaguely. 

A long pause ensued between them. The silence was killing Harry. "Ginny, I feel like I'm apologizing all the time lately. But – I – I ..." he couldn't find the words. 

"What, Harry?" she said distantly. 

"I, er, miss you," he said, awkwardly, avoiding her eyes. Ginny turned toward him. "And – and – this morning, you looked – frightened of me. I am so sorry. You know I would never hurt you – don't you?" 

"Yes, Harry, I know," she said quietly. "But – this is complicated to explain. I don't know if I can. But I probably should try. Shall we stop for a minute?" 

Harry nodded, and they found a dry rock next to the lake. They sat down and gazed over the lake as a silence descended upon them. Harry glanced nervously toward Ginny, but she seemed to be gathering her thoughts. 

"Harry, you did frighten me this morning," she started, still looking toward the lake. Harry felt stricken by her admission. 

"But it's more than that. I wasn't frightened of _you_, so much. I know that you wouldn't hurt anyone intentionally. That's not in you. You made a mistake," she said. 

She made another long pause, and finally she turned toward him. Her eyes were filled with fear, and a tear was falling down her face. "Harry, when you were holding Malfoy – the look on your face – you... I don't know how to say this. You looked like – Tom Riddle." 

The whole world crashed around Harry as her words struck him. He hadn't thought he could possibly feel worse about what happened that morning, but he felt a horrible twisting in his stomach, and his head swam with dizziness. His face that he saw in the Pensieve that morning came to his mind, as well as horrible memories of his second year facing Tom Riddle. And somehow the two images came together, and he found he couldn't deny the similar look. The pleasure of controlling another person. 

He felt tears burning his eyes, and he buried his face in his hands. "Ginny, I am so sorry. I swear I'll never be like him." 

He felt Ginny put her arm across his back, and leaned her head on her arm. "I know, Harry. I know that wasn't you. Don't worry, it's all right," she said soothingly. 

Still gazing down, he said, "Ginny – I was so – afraid that I'd ruined everything with you. I – I don't know what I'm feeling. But I know I don't want to lose you as a friend." 

He could feel her nod, still resting on his back. "It's all right, Harry. Everything is fine," she said quietly. "It's myself I'm more concerned with." 

Harry looked up. "What do you mean? Are you all right?" 

Ginny lifted herself off his back, looking unsteady. "I – I don't know. Until today, I felt like I was over Tom. Like I had resolved that business. But today – it all came flooding back. All the fear," she said. 

"It was a horrible experience! You can't expect to be completely done with it," said Harry. 

"I know. But – I was thinking about something while I was walking. Something – you can help me with, if you would," she said, looking very shy. 

"Anything! What do you want me to do?" Harry said, glad of a subject that involved doing something. 

She took a deep breath. "Harry, would you... take me down to the Chamber of Secrets again?" 

Harry felt stunned at this. "You want to open the Chamber again?" 

Ginny nodded. "I just feel like I need to see it again. To see it without Tom." 

"All right," he said uncertainly. 

Ginny trembled slightly. "And... one more thing. A – harder request. I – I would like to see your memory of – that day – in the Pensieve." 

Harry's heart started thumping in his chest. "That's a – bad memory, Ginny. Are you certain you want to see it? I mean, you almost died. And Riddle... he..." 

Ginny nodded, more firmly. "Yes. I'm certain. I need to see him die. I mean, I know that he did – but I never saw it. I just saw the diary after I woke up. I need to see that he's gone. I need some... closure." 

Ginny looked pleadingly at Harry. "Please, Harry, will you do this – for me?" 

Harry nodded. "Of course I will. When do you want to go?" 

"Let's go day after tomorrow. Saturday, early in the morning. Does that sound all right?" 

"Okay," Harry said. There was a long pause as they both looked out over the lake and let all the serious thoughts sink in. 

"Shall we start back?" Harry asked. 

Ginny smiled, her first smile that he had seen. "Yes. Harry, and – thank you," she said sincerely. 

Harry looked away, not feeling worthy of any thanks. They both stood up from the rock and began walking. 

After some time, Harry had a thought... he glanced over at Ginny, his stomach churning with nervousness. He wasn't certain he should do it... was she still angry with him? But a powerful need filled him... 

Feeling reckless and before he could change his mind, he reached over and lightly took Ginny's hand, without looking at her. 

He could sense her head turning in surprise. He burned with embarrassment and felt sick with fear that she would pull her hand back. Harry felt a profound relief as she gripped his hand back strongly, her firm grip giving him some badly needed strength, and together, they walked back to the castle. 

* * * 

_A/N: Thanks ad infinitum to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	27. Chapter 26 Shadows of the Past

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 26: Shadows of the Past_

_A/N: Warning: Extreme Harry/Ginny-ness in this chapter. :-) To all H/G fans everywhere, this chapter is dedicated to you. Enjoy._

_Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

As Harry opened his eyes, he noticed bright sunshine casting a glow on his curtains. He had been tossing and turning all night, dreading the onset of the morning. All he wanted to do was stay in bed and hide from the world. Why had he agreed to it? Horrible visions filled his head, but he knew it had to be done. He had given his word. 

He would have to tune Malfoy's broom this morning. 

Harry sighed as he rose up out of bed. Opening up his bed curtains, he noticed that Ron was waiting to go down with him. He felt a surge of gratitude; he really wanted someone with him when he went downstairs, although he wouldn't have admitted that out loud. 

"Mornin', mate," Ron said, looking sympathetic. "Going to be a rough breakfast this morning." 

"Yeah," Harry replied, nodding miserably. 

He began getting dressed, feeling more and more anxious as the time approached. He pulled out his cleaning kit, wanting to make up some excuse for having lost it, but he knew Malfoy would never buy that. He took a deep breath, trying to build up his courage. 

"Aw, it won't be so bad," Ron said supportively. "Maybe nobody will even notice that you're sitting over there." 

A small kernel of hope grew in him... maybe he could put the hood of his robe over his head... no one would even know he was there... but then he remembered that part of the point was for everyone to see that he took his apology seriously. Harry groaned out loud. There was just no escape from the whole business, although diving out the Gryffindor Tower window was sounding very attractive about now. 

He walked resignedly to the door with Ron, simultaneously wanting to run away and hide, and wanting to just get it over with. He plodded down the stairs with heavy feet and then saw something that brightened his morning considerably. Ginny was waiting with Hermione for him in the common room. 

She smiled at him as he came into the room. It seemed like an eternity since she had smiled normally like that, and he barely held himself back from running over and embracing her tightly. 

"Hi, Hermione... um... hi, Ginny," he said shyly, not completely certain that she was over her anger at him. 

"Good morning, Harry. Hermione told me about what you're doing this morning," she said sympathetically. "It will be all right. We'll stand nearby so that you're not there all by yourself." 

He wanted to tell her how much it meant to have her there with him, but couldn't find the words. "Thanks," he said, looking at her meaningfully. 

She seemed to understand as she smiled at him again, and then reached over and gently stroked his arm, causing goose bumps to rise on Harry's skin, before pulling her hand back. 

Harry swallowed, gazing into her eyes and feeling very emotional. He had missed her so much, and having her standing there in front of him was stirring some strong feelings that he wasn't quite certain what to do with. Harry then realized that Ron and Hermione were looking at them, and he turned away, embarrassed. Fortunately, they didn't seem to notice anything, or if they did, they decided not to show any reaction, to Harry's great relief. 

They headed out the portrait hole, Harry's stomach dancing with nervousness. _I'm just cleaning a broomstick, _he thought, trying to pull himself together. _What's the big deal anyway? I'll just tune the thing and leave. People will probably just look over and that'll be it._

Feeling a bit more emboldened, Harry entered the Great Hall with a confident expression, not wanting Malfoy to sense his nervousness. He had thought about eating breakfast first, but he really wasn't hungry, and just wanted to get the job over with as quickly as possible. 

Spying Malfoy over at the Slytherin table, he approached with Ron, Hermione and Ginny following behind. He slowed as he got closer, a sinking feeling coming over him. 

Malfoy had spread out a white, silk tablecloth on which he had placed his broom. A wide spot had been cleared in the middle of the table, from where the whole hall could get the best view. Most of the Slytherins were giving him identical smirks, as if they were part of some odd smirking cult. 

"Ah, Potter. Good morning," Malfoy said, as he got up from the table with a giant smirk of his own. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Harry's friends behind him. "What are they doing here? I hope you don't think I or any other Slytherin is going to give permission for anyone else to sit with you at our table." 

"I agreed to clean your broom, Malfoy," Harry said evenly. "If they decide to stand near me, it's none of your business." 

Harry was already feeling irritation rising, but he forced it down, figuring that he just needed to bear it. _Just get it over with, _he thought grimly. _Just get it over with..._

"I can only imagine how much better my broom shall be when tuned by the great Harry Potter," Malfoy said loudly, causing several students at the other tables to turn their heads in curiosity. "Is there anything he can't do?" 

Harry gritted his teeth as he sat at the table. He could see more and more students peering over as Malfoy stood behind him, crossing his arms. He opened up his tuning kit and spread the polish and tools neatly next to the broom. Most of the Slytherins at the table were laughing at him, although he noticed that Silsbee and Kelly, the two in his DA meetings, had carefully neutral expressions. Somehow even neutrality felt a little supportive to Harry. 

"Now, Potter, I've noticed a bit of bristle drag. Make certain you do a proper job of trimming them," Malfoy said arrogantly, as if Harry was an incompetent slave that needed a good flogging. 

Harry blew out a slow breath. It was going to be a long breakfast. He could see many students whispering in disbelief, and, glancing over at the teacher's table, he could see many of them having the same reaction. 

He tried to ignore everything as he began tuning the broom. He noticed that Ron had started walking around to all the tables, talking to some of the students. Ron was gesturing toward him as he talked, so Harry figured he was explaining what was going on. 

Hermione brought him some toast, which he nibbled on while he cleaned. Although he still wasn't all that hungry, it had come from the Gryffindor table, and so it felt like Gryffindor toast and was at least something a little more comfortable and familiar. 

Many of the Slytherin girls appeared determined to make him as uncomfortable as possible as they winked at him or made air kisses. That seemed to end when he saw Ginny glaring at them, tapping her wand threateningly. 

Harry finally finished tuning the broom and began the polishing. Ron peered over his shoulder and frowned. "It never looked that good when it was new," he said, shooting a look at Malfoy, as if he didn't deserve it. 

Harry shrugged. "Might as well do the job right," he said. 

As Harry was polishing the broom, Malfoy watched over his shoulder, making various snide comments. "You missed a spot there, Potter," he said haughtily, pointing at the broom. Harry sighed, trying not to listen. 

Just then, a paper airplane landed in front of him with his name on it. Curious, he opened it up and read a short note. "_Harry, see you at the next DA meeting, mate. Seamus and Dean._" Harry glanced over and saw the two of them nodding at him with grins on their faces. Harry made a small wave back, feeling pleased by the gesture, which subtly implied they were at least still behind him. 

While he was looking over, he saw Parvati waving her wand. A folded, paper bird flapped its wings and flew across the Great Hall, lightly landing in front of him. He opened it up and read the note. "_Dear Harry, Malfoy is a git. Love, Parvati._" He smiled over at her as well. 

Two more airplanes took off from the Gryffindor table and landed in front of him, and then he saw another piece of paper scurrying along the ground, spider-like, toward him. It jumped up on the table and joined the other notes. He glanced over at Malfoy, who appeared extremely irritated with the charmed notes. 

More and more paper airplanes, birds, spiders and various other magical ways of sending Harry notes were coming over. He then noticed that notes began traveling from the other tables... Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were sending support as well. Harry felt a bit stunned at all the gestures, although he suspected that many of the notes were primarily designed to annoy Malfoy, who was livid as he glared about the room. 

To Harry's surprise, he noticed that a number of the Slytherins at the table gave him tiny nods when they thought Malfoy wasn't looking. 

Finally Harry completed his task and rose from the table. He noticed Malfoy didn't appear particularly pleased with having his broom tuned and polished so well. Harry took the broom and thrust it into Malfoy's hands with a derisive expression. 

"There. We're even, Malfoy," Harry said, feeling that the debt was paid and he didn't particularly need to be polite anymore. 

"I hope you're planning on cleaning up this rubbish, Potter," Malfoy sneered scornfully at the large pile of notes, which had spilled onto the floor. 

Harry said nothing as he conjured a bag and began packing away all his notes, wanting to read them all later. As he was reaching for one of the spider notes, however, it suddenly crawled across the table and stood up in front of Malfoy. Harry stopped, his hand still outstretched. Ron, Ginny and Hermione were standing behind him. 

As they watched, large letters appeared on the paper, spelling out a variety of phrases. The note also spoke them in a loud, squeaky voice: 

"_Malfoy's face looks like the wrong end of a Blast-Ended Skrewt!_

"_Malfoy wears off-the-rack robes!_

"_Malfoy has the best position on the Quidditch team money can buy!_

"_Malfoy sleeps with a picture of Umbridge under his pillow!_

"_Malfoy goes to remedial Death Eater training!_" 

Loud laughter rose up from the students in the vicinity as more rude phrases appeared on the note, causing Malfoy to grow more and more angry. Finally he appeared to snap. He took his perfectly tuned, polished broom and began violently whacking the table, trying to hit the note. The paper successfully dodged several times, before finally succumbing to one mighty blow. Malfoy breathed heavily as he flashed a triumphant smile. Looking around, he noticed that many students were staring at him with stunned, amused expressions... and then he noticed that they weren't staring at him, they were staring at his broom... 

Malfoy looked at his broom in horror, which now had bristles sticking out in many directions, appearing far worse than it had when Harry had started. Ron and Ginny were laughing hilariously, while Hermione was giggling uncontrollably. Harry just stared in shock, extremely amused, but trying to hide it. He somehow felt he shouldn't gloat too much, remembering why he was there in the first place. 

Trying not to look too closely at Malfoy lest he start laughing with everyone else, Harry reached over and picked up the now dead note. There was no signature on it, so he wasn't certain who had sent it. He walked away from Malfoy over to his friends, a bit away from the Slytherin table. 

"I wonder who sent this one?" he asked Ron. "That was a fair bit of magic." 

Ron smirked, chuckles still escaping. "I do have the most brilliant girlfriend in the world, don't I?" 

Harry looked at Hermione with shock, who was simultaneously snickering and blushing at the praise. 

"Well, it was Ginny's idea and Ron did the phrases..." Hermione said, grinning. Harry laughed quietly, then did his best to paste a neutral expression on his face. 

For once, Malfoy was silent as they all walked away, Harry carrying his bag of notes. He glanced over at the teacher's table and saw Dumbledore nod to him, giving him a very proud look. 

* * * 

"Are you ready?" Harry asked in a concerned voice. 

Ginny nodded silently as they stood outside the door to the bathroom that housed the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. There was still a large sign on the door which said, "OUT OF ORDER." 

They had met early Saturday morning for breakfast; Harry had felt very nervous about the whole thing, and watching her, she had seemed very guarded and silent. He could only imagine what was going through her head. He had picked up his Pensieve beforehand, retrieving it from Dumbledore's library and carrying it in a backpack. They also both had their brooms, so they would be able to fly back up the pipe. 

Harry pushed open the door to the bathroom, and they moved inside. The bathroom looked about the same; cracked mirrors with cracked sinks to match. The doors to the stalls seemed even more damaged than they'd been last time. He walked around a little bit surveying the room for no particular reason, mostly to give themselves a little time to settle. 

As Harry was about to walk over to the sink with the Chamber entrance, Moaning Myrtle suddenly burst out of her toilet, splashing water into the air and flooding the floor. 

"Harry!" she said, tears streaming down her face. "You never come and visit me. And you promised to visit me, but you probably don't remember. Nobody ever remembers Myrtle. 'Oh, she's so awful, that Myrtle.' 'Why doesn't she go haunt somewhere else?' They think I don't hear it but I do," she said with a great sob. 

Harry blinked at her, feeling a little guilty. "Erm, well, you know how it is... busy with schoolwork and such..." 

Myrtle blubbered even louder. "_I know how it is? _You're just mocking me! The _dead _don't study schoolwork anymore... we just study _death_." 

"Erm, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way... Um, how have you been?" Harry said, glancing at Ginny, who was fighting not to laugh. 

"Oh, you don't _really _care," Myrtle said, more tears streaming down her face. 

"No, no, I really want to know," Harry lied. 

"Well," Myrtle said, sniffling. "Today, I was thinking about death. And yesterday, I was thinking about in what way I would die if I wasn't already _dead_." 

"That's great," Harry said, blinking. "Well, we have a little, erm, business here... I'm certain you have some, erm, haunting to do..." 

Myrtle howled in response, tears streaming down her face. "You're just like all the others! All the time, it's 'Go away, Myrtle_,_' and 'I hate you, Myrtle'... Just admit it! You hate me just like all the others. And to think I wanted to share my _toilet _with you!" She turned away, sobbing into her hands. 

Ginny put her fist into her mouth, desperately trying to cover her snickers. 

"I don't hate you!" Harry said desperately, feeling as if the situation was getting way out of hand. "In fact, erm, I was thinking that if I were to, erm, die today, this might be a good place to... haunt." 

"Really?" Myrtle said, turning back around and looking hopeful. She continued in an excited voice. "Do you think you might die today?" 

"Erm, one never knows, you know..." Harry said nervously. "I mean, I don't have firm plans or anything..." 

"Oh," said Myrtle mournfully. "Well, I suppose I'll wait in my toilet for you, just in case. Good luck with your death." She sighed heavily and then oozed sadly into the bowl. 

"My, you have admirers everywhere, don't you, Harry?" Ginny said teasingly. 

Harry gave her a sour look, but then chuckled. Myrtle visiting had taken away some of the tension temporarily, but he could feel it growing again as he moved over to the sink. 

He saw the snake symbol on the side of the copper tap. Harry took a deep breath and glanced at Ginny, who was biting her lip. He looked back at the tap and concentrated on it, imagining the serpent moving... _"Open,"_ he heard himself hiss in Parseltongue. The tap seemed to burn with a white fire as it spun around, and then the sink dropped out of sight, revealing a large pipe – the entrance to the Chamber. 

Ginny shivered. "I'll never get used to you speaking Parseltongue. It's really... creepy." 

They both peered down the hole, which faded away into darkness, then glanced up at each other, simultaneously swallowing. 

"Well, I guess we're ready," Harry said nervously. "Hold tight to your broom. I'll go first." 

Ginny nodded as he looked back to the hole. Harry took a deep breath, sat down on the edge, and then slid in. He fell down the pipe for seemingly miles, occasionally seeing smaller pipes fly past. He finally landed on the floor of a large, dark stone tunnel. He quickly moved out of the way, and seconds later, he heard Ginny join him as well. 

"_Lumos!_" Harry said, casting light about the space. Ginny lit up her wand as well. 

Looking over at her, he noticed she was covered in slime. "Nice look," Harry said, smiling, trying to lighten the mood. 

She gave him a mock scowl, then chuckled. "You're looking a bit grungy yourself." 

She pointed her wand at him and cast, "_Scourgify!_" 

Harry felt the slime disappear from his body, leaving him feeling much better. She then cast it on herself. 

"Thanks," he said. "I wish I'd known cleaning spells last time." 

They left their brooms next to the pipe exit and began traveling down the corridor. Glancing over, he noticed that Ginny appeared extremely nervous. He reached over and took her hand, causing her to smile at him gratefully. Harry felt pleased that he'd managed to do something to make her feel a little better. 

They reached the wall of broken rock from the cave-in four years ago. Harry could see the hole that Ron had made, but then figured he might as well open it up a little more. He took out his wand and levitated some stones, making the hole larger and easier for them to get through. 

As they crossed over to the other side of the rock wall, Harry saw the remnants of the snake skin, but a lot of it had decomposed away. They continued walking, going around seemingly endless turns, finally reaching the entrance to the Chamber. Harry glanced over at Ginny, who was gazing with a sort of horrified fascination at the carved serpents with the huge emeralds for eyes. 

She looked over at him, took a deep breath, and nodded. Harry gave her hand a squeeze, and then walked over to the doors. 

"_Open,_" Harry said in Parseltongue, a hissing emitting from his throat. 

The stone doors slid open, disappearing into the walls and revealing the Chamber, not opened in nearly four years. A foul stench came flooding at them through the entrance, causing Harry to wrinkle his nose in disgust. The room was bathed in a greenish glow as they cautiously walked in, the light from their wands casting strange shadows from the columns. 

Harry noticed that there were torches along the walls that he hadn't noticed last time. He decided that firelight would be better than the weird green glow. 

"Wait here, I'll go and light the torches," Harry said. Ginny nodded nervously. 

Harry walked around the room, casting a fire spell at each of the torches. Finally the room was lit much brighter, and they could see the entire space. It hadn't changed much; it still had the stone columns, covered with carved serpents, and an arched ceiling. At the end opposite the doors stood the tall, stone wizard statute. If anything, the room resembled a serpent cathedral. Harry was very grateful for the torches; the whole place seemed much less creepy without the odd, green shadows. 

The biggest difference from last time was the enormous basilisk skeleton that stood in the center of the room. Ginny stared at it, as if it might still move. Harry tore his eyes away from the skeleton and looked about the room. He thought he should say something to help set Ginny's mind at ease, but no brilliant words came to him. 

"All right, Ginny?" he asked, concerned. 

Ginny swallowed and nodded. She walked over to the base of the wizard statue and looked down. "This is where I woke up." 

She walked about the room for a long time, taking in the scene. Harry stood and watched, giving her space and privacy in her thoughts. Looking for something to do, he started casting fresh air spells, clearing out the musty, decomposed odors and replacing them with a clean smell. He chose a spot in the room for them to sit where the light was best, although still a bit dim, and then cleaned the dust and cobwebs. 

"I-I think I'm ready to see it, Harry. If you're ready," she said shakily, coming up to him. 

Harry turned to her and noticed that she was looking very unsteady. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Ginny. It's not too late to stop," he said. 

"No, I want to. I _need _to. I need to see him die," she said, her voice a little stronger. 

Harry nodded and put down his backpack. He conjured a thick blanket for them to sit on, spreading it out on the stone floor where he had cleaned. He pulled the Pensieve out and placed it carefully in the middle of the blanket. He sat down, and Ginny sat down beside him. 

He had been trying to avoid thinking back on the whole events, but terrible memories started to fill his head. His hand shook a bit as he put the wand up to his forehead. 

"Harry, wait – have you looked at this memory before, you know, at the Burrow? Any time before?" Ginny asked, with a concerned expression. 

Harry shook his head slowly. 

"Do _you _want to do this? If you're not up to it, we don't have to," said Ginny. 

Harry glanced away. "I – I can do it. I want to do it. I want to help you – be at peace with this." 

Ginny looked down and whispered, "Thank you." 

Harry took a deep breath and again put the wand up to his forehead, more steadily. He extracted the memory and placed it into the Pensieve. They both watched the strange substance swirl about the basin for several long seconds. Harry touched his wand to the surface, and it spun around, forming the window into the memory. 

They both glanced up and looked each other in the eye. Harry reached out and gripped Ginny's hands tightly. "I'll be with you, Ginny. It's just a memory. Are you ready?" 

She pursed her lips and nodded. They both entered the window. Harry felt himself flipping head over heels through the icy coldness, and then landed on his feet beside Ginny. 

Harry had started the memory off at the point right after the rock slide, figuring that it would give Ginny a little time to get settled, but skipped Lockhart, deciding that neither one of them needed to see him again, particularly with him wanting to leave her behind. 

He saw himself standing in front of the rocks, yelling to Ron through the slide wall. Ginny looked between the memory-Harry and the real Harry, blinking at them. She appeared very nervous. 

"I was pretty puny, huh?" Harry said with a small smile, hoping to ease the tension a little bit. 

Ginny gave a weak smile in return, but didn't say anything. Harry reached over and took her hand. She gripped back tightly as they began following the memory-Harry, moving along the passage. They wound through the long, twisting tunnel, finally coming upon the Chamber doors. 

Memory-Harry hissed the opening command in Parseltongue, causing the doors to slide into the wall, then crept slowly into the Chamber. He made his way to the end, then suddenly saw memory-Ginny, face down in front of the statue. He ran over and dropped to his knees in front of her. 

_"Ginny!_" memory-Harry said. "_Ginny – don't be dead – please don't be dead –_" Dropping his wand, he turned over memory-Ginny and began shaking her desperately. "_Ginny, please wake up_." 

_"She won't wake_," said Tom Riddle. 

The real Ginny's hand gripped Harry's hand tightly, and then she reached over and clutched at his arm with her other hand. 

"It's all right, Ginny," Harry whispered to her. "Remember, it's only a memory. He can't hurt you anymore." 

Ginny swallowed and nodded, looking at Riddle wide-eyed with fear as the memory-Harry and Riddle began talking. Riddle told him he was a memory, then memory-Harry asked him for help in getting them out of the Chamber. Ginny watched with horror as the scene played out. 

"_How did Ginny get like this?_" Memory-Harry asked. 

"_Well, that's an interesting question,_" said Riddle. "_And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger._" 

"_What are you talking about?_" said Memory-Harry. 

"_The diary,_" said Riddle. "_My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes – how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her..._" 

Harry noticed that Ginny blushed crimson at this. Riddle continued telling the story, explaining how he had used Ginny to grow stronger, and how Ginny began to suspect that Tom was using her for the attacks. Tears began to stream down Ginny's face as she listened to him. Harry squeezed her hand. "It's all right, Ginny," he whispered to her. 

"_It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary,_" Riddle continued. "_But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it..._" 

Riddle explained his desire to meet Harry, and how he had framed Hagrid. As he began this part of the scene, Ginny loosened her grip on Harry's arm, but kept holding his hand. 

"Please don't let go, Harry, please done let go... I need to do this... I promised myself I would..." she said desperately, tears coursing down her face. She appeared terrified as she squeezed Harry's hand in a death grip and slowly moved away from him – toward Riddle. 

Riddle began talking about Dumbledore's suspicions as Ginny inched closer, moving incredibly slowly. She was five feet away, squeezing Harry's hand even tighter, when she took a deep breath and walked the rest of the way, right up to him. 

"_...She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked,_" Riddle continued. "_What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the foolish little brat waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back..._" 

Ginny looked extremely angry as she faced him, looking him straight in the eye. "Bastard," she whispered. 

As Riddle asked about Harry and Voldemort, Ginny moved around him, still holding Harry's hand tightly. Riddle began writing his name into the air with Harry's wand, Ginny watching him closely. Harry could see her growing stronger, conquering her fear, as her anger seemed to grow. She listened to memory-Harry and Riddle argue about Dumbledore. 

Suddenly they heard the Phoenix music filling the Chamber, everyone looking around the room. The music grew in pitch, then Fawkes appeared in the chamber, dropping the hat at memory-Harry's feet, then landing on his shoulder. Ginny looked on with fascination, seeming to grow more interested in the events unfolding. 

"_...Because my mother died to save me. My common Muggle-born mother,_" memory-Harry said, extremely angry. "_She stopped you killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're foul..._" 

The real Harry noticed with embarrassment that Ginny was giving memory-Harry a very proud look at this. 

"_Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him..._" 

Riddle began walking toward the stone statue, causing Harry to abruptly remember what came out of that. A thought hit him. "Erm, Ginny, do you think a memory basilisk can hurt us?" he said, a chill going down his spine. 

Ginny looked at him, her eyes growing wide. "I – I don't know." 

"Maybe we better not take any chances," Harry said slowly, as he led her away from the main action. "Let's wait for Fawkes to blind it." 

They moved against the wall, turning their eyes away. Harry heard the giant snake beginning to slither out of the statue. Ginny squeezed his hand tighter. He heard Riddle hissing at the snake to kill Harry in Parseltongue, then heard Fawkes fighting it. The basilisk made a loud hissing scream. 

"_No!_" Riddle screamed. "_Leave the bird! Leave the bird! The boy is behind you. You can still smell him. Kill him!_" 

Harry turned back around, Ginny following a second later. She audibly gasped seeing memory-Harry next to the enormous basilisk, which was thrashing about wildly. She gripped Harry's arm again. 

The tail swept the sorting hat into the air, falling into memory-Harry's arms. He put the hat on his head, and a moment later staggered as if something hit him. Memory-Harry pulled the sword out of the hat... 

Riddle was still screaming at the serpent as memory-Harry dodged several times. He raised the sword in both hands as the basilisk lunged at him... the real Ginny gave an involuntary scream... and memory-Harry extended his entire body and drove the sword into the basilisk's mouth. The serpent seemed to shudder for a few seconds, then fell over onto the floor with a huge thud. Memory-Harry slid down the wall, pulling the fang from his arm. 

Ginny slowly turned to the real Harry, her jaw hanging open as she stared at him in awed disbelief. Harry glanced away, very embarrassed, feeling as if the whole thing had been pretty lucky. 

They turned back to the scene, watching Fawkes give Harry the healing tears. Ginny walked back closer, still holding Harry's hand. As Riddle realized that the bird was curing Harry, he looked at him grimly. 

"_But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Harry Potter... you and me..._" 

As Riddle raised the wand, Fawkes dropped the diary into memory-Harry's lap. After a split second pause, memory-Harry stabbed the fang into the center of the book. Ink began flooding out of the pages, causing Riddle to twist and scream, flailing his arms. Harry felt Ginny squeeze his hand tightly and heard her suck in an angry breath. 

"DIE YOU BLOODY BASTARD!" Ginny screamed, her entire body taught with tension as years of pent up emotion burst out of her. She continued to scream until her voice grew hoarse, as she watched Riddle fade away. 

Harry decided to end the memory at this point. He felt the icy, flipping sensation as they left the Pensieve, and then found himself sitting next to Ginny, back in the Chamber. 

Ginny sobbed, her whole body shaking with tears. Harry watched her, feeling stricken and pained, wanting to comfort her, but not certain what to do. Finally he opened his arms tentatively. "Ginny, can I...?" 

Ginny looked up and threw herself into his arms, burying her head in his shoulder. Harry embraced her back tightly, rocking her slightly. "It's all right, Ginny. He's gone." 

He rocked her for some time, trying to say things he thought would be soothing. Finally she started to calm down, as she relaxed and let Harry support her weight on his shoulder. 

"Oh, Harry, I knew what you went through was bad, but I... never thought it was that bad," she said, sniffling. After a long pause, she said, "He's really gone, isn't he?" 

"Yes, he's gone," said Harry quietly. 

They sat silently for a long time, Harry holding her closely, gently stroking her back. His feelings for her had been a jumbled mess lately, but sitting and comforting her felt so natural to him. 

Ginny turned her face up to his and looked into his eyes. She whispered, "Thank you so much for this, Harry. It's helped me more than you can know." Her face was very close. 

Harry gazed into her soft, brown eyes, the drying tears giving them a gleam in the low light of the Chamber. His breathing grew labored and heart began thudding. Her lips parted slightly, and he could feel her breath on his face. 

He slowly leaned in and touched his lips to hers. 

The world fell away as he grew a bit dizzy; his whole concentration was focused on the pleasure of feeling her soft lips moving on his. His fingers pushed and slid across her back as he pulled her tighter, a well of passion rising up in him. The pressure seemed to trigger something in her as well as she pushed back fervently. 

They broke away for a second, looking into each other's eyes, and then both came back together, kissing more urgently. He felt Ginny's tongue on his lips; feeling incredibly sensual as the kiss deepened. Harry hands explored her back, amazed at how soft she felt; she seemed almost boneless in his arms. 

Ginny bumped into his glasses; she pulled back slightly with a smile and gently pulled them off his head, placing them to the side. The simple gesture felt very personal to Harry, as if something that only she should be allowed to do. 

They continued kissing for several minutes, her hands roaming across his back. Harry's brain was frozen, all of his senses were attuned only to her. 

They finally broke away breathlessly, looking at each other as if they couldn't quite believe what was happening. Harry felt a sudden stab of shyness; he felt very confused as to why after all the kissing they had just done. 

He had an urge to touch her hair... he started to reach out, but stopped, not certain if he should. Ginny smiled at him, and then gently took his hand, closed her eyes, and cradled it against her head. 

Harry stroked her hair, feeling how soft it was. "Your hair is... pretty," he whispered awkwardly. He felt her head and ear under his hand. 

Ginny opened her eyes, swallowing emotionally. She reached up and felt Harry's face, gently running her fingers along his head, his nose, his mouth, tracing the contours. It was one of the most wonderful things Harry had ever felt in his life, stirring deep feelings in him. 

"You've been touched so little in your life, haven't you?" Ginny whispered. 

Harry turned away a little, embarrassed by how much he was enjoying being touched, but Ginny turned his head back to her, smiling. 

"It's all right, Harry. You shouldn't have to live like that anymore," Ginny said, and pulled Harry closer to her, embracing him tightly. Harry buried his head into her shoulder, embracing her back, while Ginny stroked his hair. As they held each other, images of battling Riddle and the basilisk started ringing through his head, reminding him of all the fighting he had done and all the fighting still to come. 

"I... I wish..." Harry started. 

"Tell me..." Ginny whispered. 

"I wish we could just stay here, and never have to go back, and... and... I wouldn't have to fight anymore..." Harry whispered. 

"I know," Ginny said soothingly. 

"I mean... I want to do the right thing... I want to defeat him... but..." Harry said. 

"You'll come through it, Harry. You always do," she said, her words somehow giving him strength. 

"What if I'm not good enough?" Harry said, barely audible. 

"You will be. You're so strong," she whispered back. 

They continued to hold each other, gently rocking back and forth. Harry wasn't certain anymore who was comforting whom; they both seemed to draw from each other as they sat on the thick blanket. 

Harry had never felt as connected to someone as he felt sitting with her, time seeming to slow down and stop. He had always been alone; he had never had anything to compare this to, but at that moment it all felt... _right_. As foreign as it was to hold someone and be held, he felt whole and complete. 

For a long time they just held each other, Harry cherishing the moment. Finally Ginny reached over and took his hand in hers. Harry felt goose pimples rise on his skin as she began stroking the top of his hand with her other hand, drawing patterns with her finger tip. After several minutes, she picked up his hand and began slowly kissing his palm. Harry closed his eyes, a shiver going down his spine... 

Ginny moved away slightly, then began kissing his cheek. Harry's breath caught as she planted small, slow kisses across his face, moving toward his ear. He felt himself growing very heated as she slowly kissed his ear... Harry involuntarily pulled her closer, one hand moving to her head, her hair feeling very silky. He could feel and hear her breathing, she was so excitingly close... then she suddenly she bit his ear, causing him to gasp. 

"Url... Ginny..." Harry breathed, making a guttural noise. He could feel her chest vibrate as she let out a rather wicked snicker. 

His reaction spurred her on as she began kissing his ear again. She then whispered, "Please... Harry... say my name like that..." 

"Ginny..." he said, his voice quavering as she kissed him harder each time he said her name. She moved to his neck, kissing behind his ear and moving down to the base of his neck and his shoulder. Harry closed his eyes again... everything she was doing was driving him mad... 

Harry felt a need to give back some of what he was getting, so he pushed her away, and firmly pulled her neck to him, and began kissing it as well, as she tilted her head back, giving him better access. He heard her suck in short breaths as he experimented with planting kisses in different spots, while he stroked the other side of her face with his hand. Remembering how it felt when she bit his ear, he bit her neck gently, causing her to shudder. 

"Oh... Harry..." she said breathlessly, clutching at his back and pulling him closer. He could feel her fingernails of one hand tracing a line down his spine, as her other hand traveled to his head, her fingers running through his hair and drawing his head closer to her neck. 

Harry barely noticed as they fell back onto the blanket on the floor of the chamber, Ginny's head resting on Harry's arm. He kissed a line back to her mouth, and she met him readily, as an almost desperate need seemed to fill them both. 

Ginny stretched her body alongside him, raking her fingers across his back, pulling him to her tightly, as they kissed harder... Harry stroked her arm and shoulder with his free hand, trying vaguely to keep it in safe places... 

Suddenly Ginny rolled him over, her face over his as she gazed at him with a very intense look, sending a chill down Harry's spine. She started kissing his neck again, stroking his chest with her hand as Harry held her head, his hands burying themselves in her hair. Her entire body was pressed along his side... 

Ginny ran her hand from his chest to his stomach and back again, sending an electric thrill through his body. Harry moved his hand down her back and over her hip, causing Ginny to make a low moan and kiss him even more fervently. The sound triggered some primal, indecent part of Harry's brain as he pulled her to him more tightly... his hand moved to her lower back, shock filling him as he felt soft skin where her shirt had pulled up... a desperate, physical need filled him as his body yearned for more... 

Harry was starting to feel swept away by all the intense, new feelings... a vague thought rose in his mind... if things didn't slow down, he wasn't quite certain where it was all going to end up... 

"Ginny," he breathlessly whispered in her ear. "Ginny... we... er, I need to stop." 

Ginny slowed down, her breathing ragged. "Um... yes... m-maybe that would be best." She rested her head on his chest, letting herself calm down. "Er... wow. Just... wow." 

"Yeah," Harry said, breathing heavily and his heart racing. There didn't seem to be words for what had just happened. 

A few minutes later, she slowly rolled off, propping her head up on her hand as she smiled at him. She began tracing his face with her fingers again; Harry didn't think he'd ever get tired of her doing that. He felt her slowly trace the outline of his scar, the touch feeling incredibly personal and intimate, stirring the deepest emotion yet. 

She looked at him slyly. "Well, Mr. Potter, I must say that this was quite worth the wait, although you certainly created some... anticipation, as you may have noticed." 

Harry felt embarrassed, but grinned sheepishly. "Erm, sorry for... taking so long." 

Ginny smiled at him, her gaze lingering as she looked into his eyes. Harry felt if she looked at him like that much longer, he might lose control again. Ginny's breath caught as if she had the same thought, and tore her eyes away. She glanced around the room and abruptly started laughing. 

"What's funny?" Harry asked. 

"Look at where we are, Harry. We're snogging in a secret chamber created by Salazar Slytherin with a decomposed basilisk that you killed with the Sword of Gryffindor. Who else but you can show a girl a time like this? Is anything ever simple for you?" 

Harry laughed despite himself. "Guess not." 

Ginny smiled at him mirthfully. "I wouldn't have it any other way," she said and gave him another passionate kiss. "I have to say, you've managed to purge the memories of this place nicely. But next time I think a different place might be in order." 

Hearing her say 'next time' somehow made the full impact of what had just happened hit him. What was their relationship now? It had just appeared to reach a whole new scary level. He felt deeply tied to her emotionally now; he wasn't certain he could bear it if she wasn't as serious as he was. 

He must have had a look on his face because Ginny suddenly appeared stricken. "Oh God, Harry. I guess I shouldn't assume... you weren't thinking this was a mistake just now... were you?" 

Harry felt shocked as he rose and sat up. "No!" he said, almost shouting. "No... I was just... I guess..." His shyness seemed to come back of its own accord. "I guess I was wondering what we were now. I... I... Ginny... erm... this meant... a lot to me. I was just hoping that... it meant... a lot to you, too." 

Ginny sat up as well as she looked at him like he'd lost his mind, a combination of anger and pity. "Great Merlin, Harry, you really are a clueless prat." 

Harry blinked his eyes. "What?" 

"I had a crush on you when I was ten bloody years old! I gave up when I thought you'd never return my feelings. You seemed to show some interest over the summer, and, against my better judgment, I actually let myself have feelings again. And then Iwaited _another _nine bloody months! And you think this might be some casual thing to me? If this is some casual thing to you, I'll hunt you down and rip the bloody head off your body!" she said, her eyes flashing frighteningly. 

"No... no..." Harry said quickly, looking downright panicky. He then smiled shyly and chuckled. "And then I suppose your brothers would carve up what was left." 

Ginny laughed. "Yes, they would, so I _suggest_ you not break my heart." 

"And if you break mine... who will defend my honor?" Harry asked, feeling silly. 

Ginny smirked. "Perhaps Professor Melanadray..." 

Harry's smile fell as he felt a lot of heat rising up in his face. "Uh... she's just... you... heard about that?" 

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Heard about what, exactly?" 

Harry tried to fight it down, but even more of a betraying blush was coming to his face. 

Ginny looked at Harry, suspicious at his silence. "Let's just say I've heard that someone gets a _lot_ of attention in that class, and that someone has been _very_ helpful to the Professor. And the way she was looking at you while you were both dancing was very... odd. I don't have anything to _worry _about there, do I, Mr. Potter?" 

"No! Of course not... she's..." 

Ginny looked at him with a mock scowl. "She's what!? Exactly what _do _you think of the Professor?" 

"She's... she's... she's really... ugly?" Harry said tentatively. 

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "And...?" 

"An awful personality, really," Harry said, hoping he was on the right track. 

"And...?" 

"Old. Terribly old. Far _too _old," he said. 

Ginny nodded. "Right. _Exactly_ right," she said, and then burst out laughing, Harry joining her. 

They continued to chuckle as a reflective silence fell between them. Harry began wondering what his feelings were... The last week or so since the Ball had been one of the worst weeks of his life, but it had somehow ended with one of the best days of his life. He felt so much emotion at the moment... now that things were out in the open, he realized that it had all been building for a long time. 

Harry glanced at Ginny, who also looked lost in thought. _Do I love her? _he wondered to himself. How can anyone know that? All he knew was that she was extremely important to him. 

His thoughts drifted elsewhere... Ginny bringing up Melanadray made him wonder about his future again. He had a thought... it felt so personal, but he found that he wanted to share it with her. 

"Ginny?" he asked hesitantly. 

"Hmm?" she replied. 

"Have you ever wanted to... travel?" he asked. 

She looked at him curiously, but then oddly appeared a little guarded. "Why do you ask?" 

"No reason... well, I guess I was thinking a while back... that... I'd like to travel someday. I guess that sounds a little silly," he said, gazing down and poking at the blanket nervously. 

"No, I don't think it's silly at all," she said, and then paused, glancing away shyly. "In fact... er, I've never told anyone this before, but..." She trailed off. 

"Tell me, please," Harry said eagerly, wanting to know something personal about her, too. 

"Well, after our trip to Egypt, I had been thinking that after Hogwarts... I would get a job and save up some money... and maybe do some traveling. I suppose I was afraid that people would laugh, since we've always been so tight on money..." she said, embarrassed. 

"Where do you want to go?" Harry asked excitedly. 

Ginny smiled, looking encouraged. "Well, I definitely want to visit Charlie in Romania, and Bill again in Egypt... maybe that big wizard village in Salem, in the States... and supposedly there's this fantastic wizard village in Greece." 

Harry nodded. All those places sounded wonderful to him, although her mentioning Greece made him a bit nervous. 

"Where do you want to go?" she asked. 

"I-I'm not certain. I know that makes no sense," Harry said. "But... I guess I just want to see other things, to be able to do what I want." 

Ginny nodded with a compassionate smile. "That makes perfect sense." 

"But... the whole idea seems so... far away," Harry said, thoughts of the prophecy rising in his head. 

Ginny reached over and squeezed Harry's hand. "You _will _go someday, Harry. You'll have your whole life to do whatever you want." 

Harry nodded, her assurance making him feel a little better. He looked at her, meeting her eyes. An image rose in his head as he wondered if... someday... 

He swallowed, wanting to ask her, but unable to voice the thought directly. He glanced down again at the blanket again nervously, some heat rising in his face. "Maybe... someday... you and I will be traveling... and we'll, er, meet somewhere..." 

Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you asking me to travel with you, Mr. Potter?" 

Harry blushed even deeper. "Erm... I mean, well, someday, we, erm..." 

Ginny crossed her arms, looking at him appraisingly. "And exactly what sort of... _accommodations_ did you have in mind?" 

Harry's jaw dropped. "N-not like that... I mean, whatever you think is... erm, appropriate... separate rooms, of course..." 

Ginny snickered, then started laughing loudly. Harry realized that she was teasing him. Impulsively, he decided to tease back a little bit. "Of course, single rooms are less expensive," he said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. 

"Harry!" Ginny said, shocked, and then laughed again, realizing that he was teasing her, too. She smiled at him mischievously. "Well, we'll just have to see what's available at the inn, won't we?" 

Harry's heart began thudding nervously at that thrilling thought... that there might be some possibility of... He swallowed, putting the thought aside and locking it away somewhere safe. 

A feeling rose up within him, one that he hadn't felt very much recently. A feeling of hope... that maybe, one day, there really was a life after all this... perhaps... someday, he wouldn't have death hanging over his head, and he would enjoy life like any normal person. 

He looked at Ginny again, her eyes bright and full of laughter from their teasing. Memories of the past year floated into his head... laughing with her over the summer, her support of him with Sirius, chasing her on his broom... his heart felt full when he was with her. Ginny gave him hope. 

Harry decided that, whatever it was that he felt, love was a good word for it. He slowly leaned over and kissed her again. 

* * * 

_A/N: H/G fans, thanks for sticking with me this long. As far as I'm concerned, this is how it *should* happen in the books. I'm certain that however JKR does it will be great, but this just feels "right" to me. I hope you liked it, too._

_If you hate H/G (heh) and are just reading this fic for the action, then I have some good action in the next chapter (with some more H/G fluff, sorry about that), and big action in the chapter after that._

_Certain quotes are (obviously) from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, copyright J.K. Rowling._

_Mucho grande thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	28. Chapter 27 Riddle's Lair

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 27: Riddle's Lair_

_A/N: Sorry for the week off, but back with another chapter. Should be every week now until the end of the story._

_Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Harry and Ginny broke away from their kiss, Ginny giving a satisfied sigh as she smiled at him. The last few weeks or so had been incredibly confusing and difficult for her, but it had somehow ended on... well, an unbelievable note. She had been so frustrated with him, finally getting fed up with his indecision and his habit of seeming to grow closer and then draw farther away. 

She glanced at Harry, who looked happy and contented. He had seemed to open himself up to her, and she had a feeling that it was the first time in his life that he had ever done that to this degree. She felt – honored, somehow, that he could trust her enough to be so vulnerable at this moment. 

Undoubtedly it wouldn't last, and Harry would become his normal, guarded self before long, but at this moment she felt an extremely strong connection to him. 

Ginny had teased him about traveling together, but it was just starting to sink in exactly what Harry had offered to her. He wanted her to travel with him? What did that mean? With Harry, everything he said had some sort of meaning, and he wouldn't make an offer like that unless he really meant it, deeply and honestly. 

Somehow the biggest thing she took from it was – reassurance. What had he actually said to her? Not much, truth to be told. He had awkwardly said that 'this' meant a lot to him, which, for Harry, was practically a Shakespearean love sonnet. Something like an 'I love you' seemed laughably ludicrous. She was certain that Harry had never said _those_ words in his entire life. 

Maybe none of this would last forever. She had fantasized a thousand times about marrying Harry, but anything like that was far down the road, and might never happen. The last thing she wanted to do was let herself build some new fantasy of expectations around him; she'd learned that lesson last time. But at this moment, Harry had implied unambiguously that when he imagined his future, she played some sort of role in it. She meant something to him. 

_And he had certainly physically demonstrated his affection, _she thought wickedly. She had imagined numerous scenarios about how their first kiss might go, but she had never imagined anything like _this. _And watching him drive that sword into that bloody basilisk had been... amazing. A shiver ran down her spine. 

She had been so emotional after watching the events in the Pensieve and Harry had stepped up when she had needed him the most. 

She was thankful that Harry had stopped things when he did. If he had made any sort of move to further things along... she wasn't entirely certain she could have stopped. It had been extremely difficult to stop as it was; in fact, she had to admit to being slightly conflicted that he had stopped it... _Now, Ginny, none of those thoughts..._

If the day ever came that she and Harry decided to take that step, she _wanted_ it to be when they were both ready, in a special place. This place was unique in its own way, but... definitely this wasn't the place. 

The way that Harry had stopped – passionate, out of control... She felt powerful to be the one to cause Harry to lose control like that. She sensed that he had very badly wanted to continue, but was noble enough to stop, and that was definitely enough for now. 

_Harry is my boyfriend, _she thought incredulously, looking at him. The whole idea had an air of unreality about it. She had loved him for so long – even when she told herself that she'd given up, her love had still been there, desperately longing to be given to him. And now he was willing to accept it and perhaps even return it. 

In fact, the entire morning felt unreal. In a very odd way, the Chamber felt like _their_ place, where they had first created a bond with each other, when Harry had risked his life to save her. She might not have imagined revisiting this place before, but it felt entirely appropriate now. It was almost as if they had completed some unfinished business, from when they had been too young to finish it. _Well, we finished it now, _she thought with a smile. 

Ginny glanced over at Harry, who appeared lost in thought, almost a little apprehensive. She wondered what he was thinking about; with Harry, one never knew what he might be worrying about. 

"Harry?" she asked tentatively, wondering if she should let him have his thoughts. They had both been very quiet for some time. 

He appeared startled out of his reverie. "Yeah?" he said, looking at her curiously. 

"Are you worried about something?" she asked. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's all right. I just..." 

Harry paused, gazing down at the blanket nervously. He glanced up quickly, then looked down again. "Erm, well, I guess I was wondering... well... what your parents will think of... us. Together." 

Suddenly it hit Ginny what had been going on with him lately... why he'd seemed to be drawing away from her in the month before the Ball. It was all so clear... he was worried about her family's reaction. He was worried about losing them if things didn't work out between them. Compassion rose up in her, and also a little guilt for how angry she'd been with him over the Ball. He had still waited an insultingly long time, but she understood him better now. Somehow all those problems seemed trivial now. 

She reached over and squeezed his hand. "Have you been worrying about that for a while now?" 

Harry swallowed and nodded silently, still keeping his gaze down. 

"Harry, one of the best days of my mother's life will be when she hears we're together," Ginny said, smiling. Harry looked up with such a startled expression that Ginny couldn't help giggling. "Why does that shock you so much? My parents _love _you." 

"Erm, I guess I just figured... that it might be different... if we were... you know, going out. I mean, Ginny, you know I'm not the safest person to be around," Harry said reluctantly. 

"If my parents were concerned about that, do you think they would invite you to our home?" Ginny said. "Er, this is a little embarrassing, but if it will make you feel better... let me tell you something. My mum isn't the subtlest mother on earth. She asked a _lot _of questions about... well, you and me, over the summer. I'm certain she thought she was being very clever, but I think I can safely say that she was very much in favor of things." 

"Over the summer!?" Harry asked, appearing mortified. "What... what did she... how did... she know?" 

"Oh, Harry, don't worry. She just saw us spending more time together over the summer," Ginny said. She laughed at Harry's expression of relief. 

There was a long pause as she smiled at him, just enjoying the connection that was so strong between them right now. She then sighed, thinking it was probably time to go. "Are you about ready?" 

Harry nodded, actually looking a little reluctant. "Yeah." 

They got up off the floor, peering around the Chamber. It felt so different to Ginny now; looking at Harry, he appeared to see it differently as well. She suspected that the whole thing had cleared out a few of his burdens, too. 

Ginny walked up to the statue, peering up at the face and the open mouth. "This is where the basilisk lived?" She looked at the base of the statute, and then noticed an odd seam... and there was a serpent symbol next to it. 

"Harry, come here... look at this," she said curiously. 

Harry walked over. "What?" he said, peering at the wall. He blinked at the serpent symbol, then glanced at Ginny. He hesitated, then concentrated on the symbol, and then a hissing sound emitted from his throat. 

A stone door slid open with a grinding sound, revealing a tight corridor. Ginny pulled her wand and lit it up. "Harry, I think I see something... there's a little room in here." 

She could see the corridor go back about ten feet, and then on the right side at the end was a square entrance to a room. Harry glanced at her uneasily. "Let's take a look," Harry said. He lit his wand as well and led the way, Ginny following closely. 

They peeked around the edge of the doorway and saw a small, round room carved inside the stone statue. A wooden desk was set up with a few items on it, as well as some things stuck to the wall. Everything was covered with dust and cobwebs, obviously not having been disturbed in some time. 

Harry waved his wand and cast a few cleaning spells, clearing out the dust and revealing the objects. Seeing a torch on the wall, he lit it, and then they both extinguished their wands. The smoke from the torch disappeared into a ventilation hole in the ceiling. 

Looking at the items on the desk, Ginny noticed that they were photographs. Harry picked up one of the muggle-style pictures, showing a young woman smiling into the camera. Another showed the same woman, but with what looked like a man next to her, but the man was cut out of the picture. Similar photos sat on the desk and were also stuck to the wall. 

"Harry," Ginny said in a hushed voice. "Do you think that's..." 

"...Tom Riddle's mother?" Harry finished. "I don't know, but I can't imagine who else it would be." 

Harry opened up all the drawers. All of them were empty, except for the last one, in which he saw a letter. He pulled it out of the drawer and laid it on the desk. Ginny looked over his shoulder as they both read: 

_12 March 1944_

_Dear Mum,_

_I know where he is. Soon I will find him and make him pay for what he did to us. You and I will both rest easier once he's gone. I promise._

_Sometimes, I feel so much anger at him, and, to my shame, at you. I don't know why I feel it at you. It's stupid, I know it's stupid... I didn't used to feel this much anger... I used the Dark Arts spells to find him, I needed to find him, but sometimes I wonder if they're changing me. I thought they would make me powerful, and they have, but I can't help wondering what they're doing to me. Sometimes I want to stop, but it feels too late, the power is so wondrous. I think I even have some clues on how to conquer death. Maybe I could live forever, be the most powerful wizard in history... _

_I wish you were here... I get so angry that you're not... I wish I knew what to do. I have many followers, yet no friends. They love me because they sense I'm a path to power. And what is love anyway? I can't help but think that love is only dependence. I long for you, but it weakens me. My followers only use me, and I use them. Girls believe I'm charming and witty, but they know nothing of the true me, so what is it they would claim to love?_

_I've done many secret things. What is love against the power I have felt? What is love against immortality?_

_And yet, why am I writing this letter today, toward the end of my seventh year, when I am so far along in my plans, when I haven't written to you in so long?_

_Rest in peace._

_Tom_

Ginny and Harry gazed at the letter in reflective silence. Ginny rested her head on his shoulder, not certain what she felt about the whole thing. Finally, Harry sighed. 

"Let's get out of here," he said. 

They silently moved back out of the room and corridor. Harry began walking around the room, extinguishing the torches. Ginny suspected he was doing it mostly to clear his head, so she let him have some reflective space. He came up to her and smiled, and then embraced her. She embraced him back tightly. They stood that way for several minutes; Ginny sensing that Harry needed a bit of time to recover. Finally they pulled back and Ginny kissed him, giving him a supportive smile. Harry smiled back, appearing much better. 

They gathered up their belongings and exited the Chamber, lighting up their wands in the dark corridor outside. Harry turned back to the doors, watching them close and waiting for them to slide completely shut. He looked at the closed doors for several more seconds and then smiled at her. 

They held hands as they traveled along the passageway. Ginny squeezed and caressed his hand periodically, the feeling of sensing him in the dark very different than what it had been when they'd first arrived. 

They climbed through the rock slide, and then finally reached the bottom of the access pipe, with their brooms leaning against the wall where they had left them. 

"I never thought I'd actually be a little sorry to leave this place," he said, smiling shyly. 

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at him as she smiled at him secretly. "Why, Mr. Potter, are you saying you like being alone with me?" 

Harry chuckled. "It does have its... charms." 

She gazed at his green eyes reflecting in the wand light, his sheepish grin looking entirely too attractive. She felt her heart thumping. 

"Is that so? Charms like this?" She gave him a long, gentle kiss on the lips. "Or charms like this..." She planted slow kisses along his neck. 

"Erm..." Harry said, his voice failing him as his breathing grew very shallow. 

They kissed for another minute, then Ginny sighed, suspecting they had better stick to business if they wanted to get out of there sometime today. She had waited so long to be able to play like this, though... "More later, I promise," she whispered in his ear. 

Harry nodded reluctantly, giving a sigh himself as they separated and picked up their brooms. Ginny couldn't help feeling very gratified that Harry responded to her... so well. She didn't want to be insecure, but... there was a lot of history to overcome. 

"I'll go first, all right? You follow closely, er, so I can see you," Harry said, looking a little embarrassed. Ginny thought it was incredibly cute that he wanted to keep her in sight. 

The mounted their brooms and flew up the pipe, keeping their wands out in front of them to light their way. After a long time, they finally they reached the top and flew up into the girl's bathroom. 

As Ginny cast a pair of Scourgify spells to clean themselves up, she saw a pair of ghostly eyes peeking up from a toilet. Myrtle let out a loud sigh before sinking back into the bowl, apparently disappointed that Harry was still alive. 

Walking back down the corridor to Gryffindor Tower, memories of kissing Harry were running heatedly through her head. Finally spotting a dark corner, she impetuously pulled him aside and started kissing him passionately for several minutes. Harry was a bit nervous at first, but grew very enthusiastic before they continued on. She could hardly believe she was _allowed _to do this, to kiss Harry when the mood struck. One thing was for certain; now that they were together, she wasn't going to wait around for Harry to make the first move anymore. 

They stopped several more times to sneak kisses; Ginny marveled that it was Harry doing this – his greater problems seemed to be gone from his mind temporarily. She had to fight to keep from laughing at him for being so silly and relaxed. 

Relaxed, at least, until they began to approach the portrait hole. He started slowing, as an expression of apprehension crossed his face. He glanced at Ginny then back at the Fat Lady. Ginny had a suspicion what was bothering him. 

"Ron and Hermione?" she asked. 

Harry looked startled, then chuckled. "Yeah. I guess I was just wondering what to tell them. I mean, I guess I should tell them... something. I dunno... I mean, what will Ron say..." 

"Well, they're going to find out eventually," Ginny said reasonably, then paused, as she had a rather mischievous thought. "Of course, we could just tell them the easy way." 

Harry blinked at her. "What's the easy way?" 

"Let's find them!" she said, giving the password. The Fat Lady swung open the door as Ginny walked through, scanning about the room. Harry followed, looking very confused and reluctant. "There they are. Come on!" Ginny said, grabbing his hand and pulling him along. 

"I'm not certain this is the easy way..." Harry said nervously. "Maybe... maybe we should wait awhile... think about the best way..." 

"Shush! I won't say anything..." Ginny said playfully. 

Ron and Hermione were busily working on some homework at a table. They glanced up as Ginny and Harry approached. 

"Hi, you two," Hermione said. "What have you been up to? We haven't seen you all morning." 

Ginny stole a glance at Harry, who appeared extremely nervous at this question. "Oh, we've been doing – this and that," she said. Ron looked at the two of them, sensing something odd about Ginny's nonspecific answer. "In fact, Harry has something he wants to tell you, but he wanted me to tell you the easy way," Ginny said. 

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. "Er, all right," Ron said, puzzled. 

"Ready?" Ginny said. Harry appeared utterly perplexed. 

"Yes...?" Hermione said. 

Suddenly Ginny turned to Harry, threw her arms around him and planted a hard kiss right on his lips. 

"Mmmph!" Harry said, staggering, his eyes wide as Ginny began laughing loudly at his reaction. Harry turned red as a beet, looking around the common room nervously to see who also might have seen. A few students had wide grins as they began whispering to each other. 

Ron and Hermione's eyes grew wide, then started laughing along with Ginny. "Ha!" Ron said loudly, smacking his fist into his palm. "It's about bloody time!" 

"About time? What?" Harry asked Ron, appearing stunned that Ron seemed to accept things so easily. 

"Of course, mate. Do you think I want my sister going out with _any _bloke off the street?" Ron said. Ginny felt like hexing her brother at this, but decided to let it go. 

"Well, as for me," Hermione said with a grin, "I think I'd have to agree with Ron wholeheartedly. It _is _about time, Harry." 

Harry looked very embarrassed at this, but finally started laughing as well. "Seeing as Ginny said about the same thing, I guess I'll have to go along with everyone. It was about time." 

Ron face melted from a grin to a scowl as he glared at Harry threateningly. "So, Harry. _Exactly _where _did _you take my sister today? I don't need to chaperone you two, do I?" 

Harry looked at him with shock. "We – we – erm..." he said, looking desperately at Ginny, who was staring at Ron with a matching glare times two. Hermione was giving Ron her own glare. 

"Ron, don't you dare do this," Ginny said in a low, threatening voice. "If you start pulling that protective brother rubbish, you will pay dearly." 

Ron snickered then started laughing. "You should have seen your face, Harry. A chaperone. Bloody fantastic. You might as well get used to it, though. Wait 'til Fred and George hear about this. You don't want to know how they've probably been praying for this day." 

Ginny closed her eyes tightly. "Oh, God. Ron's right. I didn't even think about what those two gits are going to do." She opened her eyes and glared at Ron. "Well, they don't need to know yet, _do they, _Ron?" 

Ron's grin fell a little. "Er, well, they'll find out eventually..." he said trailing off as Ginny's glare intensified. "Uh, but I guess we don't need to go out of our way to tell them. But you know that Mum isn't going to keep it a secret, and you _have _to tell her, unless you want Howlers every morning." 

Ginny groaned and looked at Harry. "Are you worth all this?" 

Harry blinked and looked a bit uncertain for a split second. Ginny rolled her eyes and smiled at him affectionately. "Oh, honestly, Harry. I'm joking. You're worth _even _whatever Fred and George might serve up." 

Harry laughed. "Come on, Ginny, let's go sit down for a few minutes. We'll talk to you two a little later," he said to Ron and Hermione. 

As they moved over to a sofa, Ginny noticed that Harry had just unconsciously asked her to come with him, to the exclusion of Ron and Hermione. It felt extremely odd; she had always felt like an outsider, and probably always would be to that relationship, but Harry had chosen to sit with her, and only her, instead of them. 

As they sat on the sofa in the common room, Harry sighed, sounding exhausted. Ginny had to admit to feeling pretty tired herself. It had been an incredibly emotional morning. She had a ton of OWL revision to do, too, but she hardly felt motivated. What she really needed was a nice quiet place, maybe outside, after being what seemed like miles underground. 

She glanced over at her... boyfriend. _Wow, that concept is hard to think about, _she thought, amused at herself. "Harry... how about if I pack us a nice lunch and we can find a good, quiet spot outside?" 

Harry nodded, looking at her thankfully. "That sounds really good," he said. 

She whispered in his ear. "A good, quiet, _private_ spot." 

Ginny smiled as Harry responded to that with a small, shy smile of his own.__

* * * 

The next morning, Harry headed down with Ron from his dormitory to the common room for breakfast, and he was pleasantly surprised to find Ginny waiting for him. She usually ate breakfast with her friends. A warm feeling filled him as he realized that it felt very nice to have someone special waiting for him. 

"Good morning, Harry," Ginny said brightly. 

"Hi, Ginny," Harry said, feeling shy, although not certain why after the day they'd had yesterday. Harry gazed into her eyes for several seconds, fighting an urge to grab her and start kissing her, which certainly wouldn't be appropriate behavior for the common room. He caught himself, and then glanced over at Ron and Hermione, who were both looking at them with smirks on their faces. 

"Hermione, do Harry and Ginny look a bit... different to you this morning?" asked Ron, fighting to put an innocent expression on his face. 

"Why, I don't know, Ron. Harry does appear particularly... relaxed, I must say," said Hermione, giggles escaping, her face not even close to straight. 

"And sis, did you have a particularly satisfying bout of... studying yesterday?" asked Ron, turning to Ginny. "You look like you have certain matters... shall we say, well in hand." 

Ginny glared at him, then laughed. "All right, I guess we deserved that." 

Harry felt very embarrassed, but laughed, recalling that they'd given Ron and Hermione the same treatment, so he could hardly begrudge a little teasing from them. "Yeah. Do you two have any more or shall we get some breakfast?" 

Ron appeared to think about it. "Hmm. You know, Harry, I couldn't help but notice you staring at my sister as we came down the stairs. Hardly blinking. Did you need Madam Pomfrey to take a look at that? I'm certain she misses you in the infirmary." 

Harry gave him a sour expression, but couldn't help laughing. 

"All right, now I'm done, although I reserve the right to continue if I think of anything more," he said, grinning. 

They all laughed as they exited the common room and made their way down to the Great Hall. As they walked in, Harry noticed that many students were giving himself and Ginny very curious glances. Apparently the news of the kiss in the common room had traveled fast; he wasn't certain why anyone would care about who he was going out with, but then sighed as he realized that it was another symptom of his fame. 

They all sat down at the Gryffindor table. Harry sneaked at glance at Ginny, who happened to sneak a glance at him. He involuntarily smiled at her as he began loading up his breakfast. He had to chuckle at himself; he was acting exactly the same way Ron had acted with Hermione, but now on the other side, he understood why. Now that they were together, he just wanted to be with her and would have been happy just sitting and watching her. 

He was taking a bite of his breakfast when he noticed Seamus giving him a worried look, glancing at Harry occasionally and then back to his breakfast. 

"What is it, Seamus?" Ron asked, sounding annoyed. Apparently he had noticed it, too. 

Seamus glanced reluctantly at Harry. "I didn't want to be the one to tell you, mate, but... prepare yourself... remember, I'm just the messenger, after all... right, then." He handed Harry a copy of the Daily Prophet. 

Harry gazed in horror at a large picture of himself, and another picture of Ginny, side by side on the page with a large headline. Ginny, Ron and Hermione looked over as well as they all read the article. 

_Boy-Who-Lived and Ministry Official's Daughter in Love_  
_by Sandra Goadpest_

_Secret sources at Hogwarts informed this reporter that Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, has begun going out with Ginny Weasley, daughter of Arthur Weasley, a prominent member of the Ministry._

_Potter, famous for his defeat of You-Know-Who as an infant, has up until now been curiously unattached, considering his status as one of the most eligible teenagers in the wizarding world. Regular readers of the Prophet will recall that he was briefly tied to one Hermione Granger, but that relationship was apparently doomed from the start._

_Ginny Weasley, a beautiful girl with fiery red hair, has managed to capture his heart, and that sound you hear are the hearts of many a girl breaking all over the United Kingdom._

Harry couldn't read any more as he ran his fingers through his hair wildly. "How did they find out so fast? Someone must have told them." He groaned loudly. "Ginny, I'm really, really sorry about this." 

To Harry's surprise, Ginny was actually giggling about it. "Well, at least I don't have to break the news to Mum now, although I'd better send her an owl right after breakfast. I liked the part about 'a beautiful girl with fiery red hair,' though." 

"Well, they got that part right, at least," Harry said impulsively, smiling at her. 

Ginny looked at him flirtatiously. "Did they, now? Why, thank you, Harry," she said, grinning at him and sneaking a quick kiss on his cheek. 

"Better than what they wrote about me," Hermione said, appearing very annoyed. "Doomed from the start? If they're going to make up lies, at least they could make me a femme fatale or something interesting." 

Ron smirked. "Yeah. Something like, 'briefly tied to Hermione Granger, who readers of the Prophet will recall led Harry down the path of sin, before shattering his heart and taking up with a handsome Quidditch star.' " 

"Who's that? Viktor Krum?" Hermione asked innocently. 

Ron glared at her. "_No, _I don't mean Vicky Bloody Krum." 

Hermione snickered. "Of course not. Clearly I would only take up with a Hogwarts Quidditch star, after all. At least until I decide to shatter your heart into a million pieces." 

"Oooh, you're so wicked," Ron said, leaning over to her. 

"All right, all right, you two can continue this later, please," Ginny said, making a gagging gesture, and then grinning. 

They all laughed, Harry handing the paper back to Seamus, who appeared relieved that Harry didn't seem too put out about it. 

After breakfast, the four were walking out of the Great Hall, when someone called to Harry. He noticed it was Silsbee, one of the two Slytherins in his DA meetings. 

"Wait here, I'll be right back," Harry said. He moved over to Silsbee, feeling a bit guarded, although he had to admit that once he had got to know the two in his meetings, they didn't seem like such bad blokes. 

"Potter, I only have a second. The Quidditch match next Saturday. Watch your back. Malfoy is planning something. I don't know what. Oh, and Malfoy snitched to the Daily Prophet about your girlfriend. Bye," he said, striding off quickly. 

Harry stood stunned for a second, before wandering back over to Ginny, Ron and Hermione. "Well, that was odd," Harry said, and gave them a quick rundown on what Silsbee had said. 

They all frowned at the news. "That git," Ron said disgustedly. "Well, we can't do anything about it now. I guess we'll have to keep an eye out." 

Harry nodded, feeling very apprehensive about what Malfoy might be planning. 

* * * 

"It's here. It's finally here," Ron said in a hushed voice as he paced in front of his team. "The last game of the year, and we have a chance to play for the Cup. We hold our fates in our own hands. It's all up to us, what we do out there." 

Harry sat next to Ginny, feeling nervous about today's game. They had a chance at the cup, but they had to get the score just right. 

"Quidditch is about winning," Ron said, continuing his pre-game speech. "There is only one place that matters, and that's coming in first place. All of our fellow Gryffindors are depending on us, _counting _on us to play with heart, to keep the Cup where it belongs. In our sacred Gryffindor Tower. 

"HEART!" he yelled, beating on his chest several times. "It all comes from in here, from our heart... we need to embrace the harsh reality of broom to broom combat. It's going to be a war out there... brute force against brute force." 

He paused, his eyes wide as he glared at each player, as if daring them to doubt their own courage. 

"Slytherin!" he spat, as if it was a foul word that should never be used in polite company. "All that stands between us and victory is Slytherin. You've all seen the standings. Hufflepuff is currently out in front, and Slytherin is not far behind. That means that we need to beat Slytherin by two hundred points and have a total of three hundred and twenty points to catch Hufflepuff and win the Cup. So Harry, _do not _catch the snitch until we are up by at least fifty points _and _we have scored one hundred and seventy points. The score must be at _least _one hundred and seventy to one hundred and twenty before you catch it! 

"Jack, Andrew, it's critical we keep Malfoy away from the Snitch. Send that Bludger at him constantly! Keep him away from it. 

"They will no doubt pull out every dirty trick they know. We need to stay on our toes today and play with _intensity,_" Ron said, his eyes burning at the word. "_Intensity. _Let this field represent all of our hopes and dreams... we must rise to the challenge, boldly embracing the opportunity given to us today and not only make ourselves proud, not only make our fellow Gryffindors proud, not even make all the Gryffindors that have come before us proud. We must make our future children and grandchildren proud! Pride that will spread down through the ages and reflect with honor on our family names as generation upon generation of our progeny shall look back on this day... look back on this day and know that we gave every fiber of our body to the field of battle, and emerged..." Ron paused, and finished in a whisper. "_victorious._" 

The Gryffindor team leapt to their feet, giving Ron a standing ovation. Ron opened his arms, inviting everyone into a group embrace. "We will win, I know we will," he whispered to everyone emotionally. "I am so proud of this team." He stood back, forming a circle with his teammates and thrust his hands into the middle, and everyone followed, gripping hands in the center of the circle. 

"Who are we?" Ron whispered. 

"GRYFFINDOR!" the team roared.__

"Are we going to win today?" he said in a louder voice. 

"YES!" The team roared even louder. 

"DO YOU VOW TO GIVE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE TODAY?" Ron yelled. 

"YES!" 

"THEN GO OUT AND DESTROY SLYTHERIN!" Ron screamed in conclusion. 

The team began running toward the door, Harry caught up in the frenzy. He felt a hand on his arm, holding him up as everyone rushed past him. He turned around and Ginny gave him a hard kiss, appearing very determined. "For luck," she said, looking him in the eye. Harry nodded as they followed their teammates out the door. 

* * * 

Harry flew about the pitch, keeping one eye on Malfoy as Silsbee's warning ran through his head. He briefly considered whether they had told him Malfoy's plans to just distract him from winning, but he had to take it seriously. 

They needed to wait until they had enough points and the spread was enough, but Slytherin had no such issues. They were only down by one hundred and twenty points to Hufflepuff, and therefore, if Malfoy caught the Snitch, they would win the cup. 

Harry was currently employing a strategy of following Malfoy, on the theory that he was primarily trying to prevent him for getting the Snitch, not find it himself. Malfoy appeared very intense as he searched the field. 

The crowd abruptly cheered, and Gryffindor had scored the first goal. Harry felt a surge of pride as he noticed Ginny slapping hands. She must have scored. He turned back to his seeking task, keeping an eye on Malfoy. 

So far, nothing seemed unusual as Malfoy stayed in a searching pattern, occasionally dodging Bludgers that Kirke and Sloper were sending at him constantly. 

The Slytherins were playing extremely roughly; Harry saw one of the Slytherin Chasers knock Ginny hard, and Harry grimly made a mental note to make him pay for that. He shook himself. _I need to keep my head in the game. Ginny will be fine, _he thought. Harry hadn't realized how emotionally difficult it would be to watch her in the game. 

The score was fifty to forty in favor of Slytherin when Harry and Malfoy both spotted a flash across the field. Malfoy took off, Harry following closely. He squinted at the flash, trying to figure out if it was the Snitch, but the sun was in his eyes. He couldn't take any chances, so he came up along Malfoy, who was staring straight ahead. 

_Need to time this right, _Harry thought. He needed to stay on line, prevent Malfoy from catching it, but not catch it himself. As they moved came closer to the flash, Harry saw Malfoy glance over with a smirk. Harry didn't like the expression on his face and tensed up. Suddenly Malfoy turned into him, causing his broom to touch him. A powerful shock ran through Harry's body, causing him to grow dizzy as he veered away, trying to maintain control. 

He spiraled around, gripping tightly and came to a stop while he recovered. _What the bloody hell was that?_ Harry thought vaguely. He panicked, as he realized that Malfoy must have found the snitch by that time. Harry scanned the pitch wildly and finally spotted him looking angrily at a piece of parchment that had been blowing in the wind. 

Harry blew out a long sigh of relief. He began flying toward Malfoy again, wondering about the shock that he had received. _That must be it, _he thought incredulously. Harry felt lucky that he'd received the warning. If he hadn't been prepared, he probably would have fallen off his broom. Anger grew within him. Malfoy was cheating. He signaled to Ron to call a time-out, who complied. Madam Hooch blew her whistle to signal play action to cease, and all the Gryffindors flew down to the pitch. 

"What's up, Harry?" asked Ron, looking intense. 

"Malfoy," Harry said grimly. "He had some sort of spell on his broom that caused a shock to run through me when we touched. I almost fell off my broom." 

Ginny was extremely angry. "You could have been badly hurt! Malfoy will pay for this," she said coldly, looking very frightening as if contemplating exactly how she intended to follow through on her threat. 

"Let's tell Hooch," Ron said, outraged. He gestured toward her, asking her to come over. She flew down next to the Gryffindors. 

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" said Madam Hooch. 

"Harry said Malfoy's broom is hexed to shock anyone who touches it," Ron said. 

Madam Hooch's eyes narrowed. "Is that so? I'll get to the bottom of this." She glanced up and found Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy!" she shouted. "Come down here, please." 

Malfoy flew down with an extremely innocent expression on his face. "Yes, Madam?" he said, with a winning smile. 

"Let me see your broom, please," she said. Malfoy handed it over, appearing curious. Madam Hooch visually inspected it, seeing nothing. She then waved her wand, casting a few spells. She frowned, apparently also seeing nothing. Glancing suspiciously at Malfoy, she waved her wand over his body as well. 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. I'm afraid I can't find anything problematic," she said apologetically. 

Malfoy looked at Harry sympathetically. "Well, Madam, we all know that Harry is under a great deal of strain these days. Not surprising that he might have a few... _hallucinations_. But I don't want there to be any doubts. Allow me to surrender my wand to you, just to show my good faith." He pulled out his wand and handed it to Hooch. 

"I was _not _hallucinating," Harry said with gritted teeth, trying to keep himself from leaping over and strangling Malfoy with his bare hands. What he did know positively was that if Malfoy was willing to turn over his wand, then the shock must be coming from something else. 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, but I can't find anything. I'm afraid that this will have to do," Madam Hooch said. She walked off as Malfoy took to the sky again. 

"That git," Ron said, irritated. "Well, you'll just have to keep a sharp eye out, Harry." 

"Yeah," Harry said. "Well, everyone ready?" 

Everyone nodded their assent. Ginny came over and squeezed his hand, and they all took off and resumed the game. 

Malfoy's cheating seemed to inspire the Gryffindor Chasers, who redoubled their efforts. The game was becoming very ugly, with many thrown elbows and broom collisions, but slowly the Gryffindors pulled ahead. 

The score was one hundred and forty to eighty with Gryffindor leading when Harry spotted the snitch. He glanced over at Malfoy, who hadn't seen it yet. Harry went into a dive in the other direction, surprising Malfoy, who began following him. Abruptly Malfoy stopped his broom, apparently realizing that Harry wouldn't be trying to catch it with the score the way it was. He flipped his broom around, scanning for the Snitch, and suddenly saw it. Harry swore under his breath; he shouldn't have tried such an obvious gambit. 

Harry pushed his broom to maximum speed, catching up with Malfoy. He carefully tried to avoid coming in contact, as Malfoy repeatedly attempted unsuccessfully to swerve into him. They were gaining on the Snitch. If Harry didn't do something quickly, Malfoy would catch it. He had no choice; he had to do it. 

He waited until the last second, steeled himself and swerved into Malfoy, shielding the Snitch with his body. The pain was incredible as he made direct contact; it was as if thousand of ants were crawling through every nerve ending of his body. He felt himself passing out as he gripped tightly to the broom. He felt himself vaguely floating through the air, concentrating only on feeling his hands maintain contact with the broom. Slowly he felt himself come back to consciousness. He saw the ground coming up fast and quickly pulled out. He flew back level, trying to reorient himself. He saw Malfoy glancing around desperately; he must have lost the Snitch. 

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Clearly that strategy wasn't going to be good long-term one. It had almost done him in. A vague idea was starting to come to him... he didn't know if it would work, but... 

He fell back behind Malfoy as they went into a search pattern again. The Chasers on both teams continued to score goals. Ron was making some spectacular catches, but the Slytherins seemed to be inspired to win this one. The score gradually crept up to one hundred and sixty to one hundred and twenty. If Gryffindor could score one more goal, Harry would be able to actively catch the Snitch. 

Harry was keeping one eye on the Chasers as he followed Malfoy when he saw a Bludger heading toward Katie Bell, who didn't see it coming. He involuntarily started to shout, even though she couldn't possibly hear him. The Bludger slammed into her side, forcing her to fly to the ground while clutching her side in pain. As she landed, she collapsed on the ground and Madam Pomfrey ran over to her. It appeared as if she would be out of the game, leaving them a Chaser short. If they were going to win, then they had to do it soon. Being a player down would almost guarantee defeat. 

Abruptly Malfoy flew toward the Gryffindor section. Harry spotted it at almost the same time; there was no doubt it was the Snitch. _If we'd had one more goal, _he thought anxiously. He had to block Malfoy again, but wasn't certain he could take another one of the shocks. He had to try his plan and hope for the best. It wasn't _technically _a violation of the rules... 

They both raced toward the Snitch, Harry trying to keep close but not too close. As they approached the Snitch, Harry reached into his Quidditch uniform and grabbed his wand... he couldn't wave it, which would weaken the spell, but he had to hope it would be strong enough... it had to be timed perfectly... 

As they came up to the Snitch, Harry shouted, "_Protego!_" and swerved into Malfoy. 

A loud CRACK sounded as a bolt of lightning leapt from Malfoy's broom, rebounded off Harry and ricocheted back to Malfoy. An extremely bright discharge of energy surrounded Malfoy, appearing to feed back on itself as it didn't stop. He fell out of the sky, separating from his broom; the lightning extending between his body and the broom, and then finally stopped. Harry watched Malfoy falling, then slow suddenly before hitting the ground. Madam Hooch had her wand out, apparently slowing his free fall. She blew her whistle, appearing very angry as she gestured for all players to come down to the ground. 

As Madam Pomfrey ran out to the field to attend to Malfoy, Madam Hooch inspected Malfoy's broom while the players stood on the pitch. Looking closely at it, she slid an odd silver ring off it. She waved her wand over it and nodded grimly, apparently satisfied that the ring was the cause of the incident. She turned and addressed all the players. 

"I've never seen such a display of bad sportsmanship as I saw from Mr. Malfoy," she said, livid. She glared at Malfoy, who was sitting up, looking very confused. "Hoist by your own petard, eh, Mr. Malfoy?" 

Ron was smirking very smugly at Malfoy as he stood with Harry, Ginny on his other side with her hand on his shoulder. 

"Seeing as Mr. Malfoy has seen fit to engage in such an abominable act, I hereby declare that Slytherin forfeits the match, awarding an automatic Snitch catch to Gryffindor and one hundred and fifty points –" 

"NO!" shouted Ron, glancing at the scoreboard with a face of panic. "You can't do that! That would make it a three way tie... we... we... we don't want the forfeit... we love Malfoy..." 

"LET ME FINISH, MR. WEASLEY," Madam Hooch said threateningly. Ron immediately fell silent. 

"As I was saying," Madam Hooch continued, glaring at Ron. "Gryffindor is awarded an automatic Snitch catch for bad sportsmanship AND a penalty shot for the actual infraction." 

Ron's eyes grew wide. "We have a chance. If we make this penalty shot, we win the Cup..." Ron looked at Ginny with a pleading expression. "Ginny, Katie is injured, so it's up to you. _Please, _in the name of all that's sacred, make this shot." 

Ginny appeared a bit nervous, but set her jaw as she gripped her broom tightly and nodded. She began to get on her broom. Harry moved over to her and whispered in her ear. "Show Malfoy how it's done," he said, smiling at her, causing her to smile back, remembering the Carnival. Impulsively, Harry quickly kissed her. "For luck," he said. 

"We can't lose with luck like that," Ginny said, grinning at him. 

She flew off into the sky, soon followed by the rest of the players, who moved to neutral parts of the field. Ginny received the Quaffle and moved to the center of the field, from where penalty shots were started. The Slytherin keeper moved into position, appearing very determined. The Gryffindors and Slytherins all glanced nervously between the two of them. 

Harry heard the announcer explain the forfeit and penalty shot. There was a huge roar from the Gryffindors and loud boos from the Slytherins. The rest of the stadium seemed to have a mixture of cheers and groans, many of the latter presumably from people who were hoping for a longer match. 

Madam Hooch blew the whistle. Ginny flew straight up in the air in a long arc and then plunged straight at the goals, going incredibly fast. Harry heard Ron suck in a quick breath. 

"Bloody hell, what is she doing... that's way too fast..." Ron started in an alarmed voice. 

Harry had to agree as Ginny flew at the goal at a reckless speed... the Slytherin Keeper was forced to guess at a goal to defend, but Ginny swerved toward a different goal, her broom responding marvelously... she shot the Quaffle and scored a direct hit. 

The Gryffindors in the stands leapt to their feet, roaring loudly as Ginny flew straight at Harry. She threw herself into his arms as they sat on their brooms and embraced tightly. The other players soon joined them and they all had a group embrace in the air to the cheers in the stands. 

"I did it... I did it..." Ginny said tearfully into Harry's ear. "Thank you, Harry... thank you for believing in me this year and giving me the broom and... augh!" she said, pulling away from him and covering her mouth with her hand. "I mean! Thank Fred and George... oh, sod it! I know you bought it for me," she said, laughing. Harry felt embarrassed, but then began laughing also as they embraced again. 

As the team landed on the ground, the Gryffindors stormed the field, slapping their backs, congratulating the team. Some students lifted Ginny up on their shoulders, carrying her around the field. Ginny beamed at Harry as she punched the air and screamed in celebration. 

Hermione came running up and threw herself at Ron, embracing him tightly. "Oh Ron... that was so incredible... you won! I'm so proud of you this year..." She broke away and hugged Harry as well. "...and Harry! You were incredible, too... Malfoy got what he deserved..." She released Harry and shouted at Ginny. "Ginny! You were fantastic! You were _all _fantastic!" 

They continued walking around the field, celebrating the victory. Finally they all went back to the locker room and quickly showered, reliving the plays over and over. Katie Bell joined them in the locker room, screaming at them all happily as they took turns hugging her excitedly. 

"Now this is a send off! Thank you, captain!" Katie said, embracing Ron. "This is how I wanted my seventh year to end. You did it. You were a great captain." 

Ron appeared close to tears. "I did it all for you, of course," he said, grinning. 

They made their way back to Gryffindor Tower, where the party had already started earnestly in the common room. A roar went up from the Gryffindors as the team entered the room, where students had begun hanging congratulatory banners on the walls. A huge quantity of food had somehow appeared in the room, and in a corner Harry saw Dobby smiling happily at him. Harry gave him a wave and a big smile. 

Later on, Harry sat with Ginny on a sofa, her head resting on his shoulder, feeling full from food and success. Ginny sighed and whispered in his ear. "You know, we're not done celebrating. We have a little bit of... private... celebrating to do..." she said seductively. 

Harry felt a chill go down his spine as that exciting thought sunk in. She slowly rose from the sofa, holding his hand as they sneaked toward the portrait hole. Harry glanced around the room for Ron and Hermione and noticed they had already disappeared somewhere. 

As they made their way to the Astronomy Tower and a private spot, Harry decided that having a girlfriend had a lot of advantages on a day like this. 

* * * 

_A/N: I wrote nearly all of Ron's speech, but I "borrowed" a few phrases here and there from Vince Lombardi, legendary NFL coach._

_Huge piles o' thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	29. Chapter 28 Dumbledore's Challenge

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 28: Dumbledore's Challenge_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Harry glanced over at Ginny, exchanging a small smile with her. They had taken to eating meals together, which Harry enjoyed very much. As he sat at the Gryffindor table eating his breakfast, he reflected that life was actually going pretty well, for once. 

After receiving an owl from her mother, Ginny had assured him that Mrs. Weasley was ecstatic about their new relationship, which made Harry feel a bit more secure about the whole thing. Of course, Fred and George had felt the need to send them both a book, "_What to know on your wedding night,_" causing him and Ginny great embarrassment. It also didn't help that they had sent it in care of Ron, who gleefully read excerpts to them. 

Things had been particularly peaceful the last week and a half or so; Malfoy was suspended from school for ten days for the Quidditch incident. There were rumors that he'd been close to expulsion, but Narcissa Malfoy and her lawyers appealed to the Governors of Hogwarts, and they had negotiated the ten-day suspension. 

Of course, he had been back for two days now and was as annoying as ever. He was greeted like a returning hero by the other Slytherins. Things were noticeably quieter while he was away; even the rest of the Slytherins seemed more pleasant with him gone, including Crabbe and Goyle, who only appeared to wander the hallways looking lost and confused. 

As Harry sat chatting with his friends, he vaguely noticed a strange mumbling descending over the Great Hall. Turning around, he saw Dumbledore walking from his table. It was rare for Dumbledore to come toward the student tables, so everyone was watching curiously, wondering what was going on. Harry was rather curious as well, until he noticed Dumbledore gazing at him, at which point he felt a sudden chill. 

"Why is Dumbledore looking at you?" Ron whispered. "Are you in trouble?" 

Harry shrugged helplessly. He had no idea what was going on. He went down a list of reasons in his head of why Dumbledore might come to talk to him rather than just send him a note to see him in his office, but nothing was coming to mind. He looked over at Ginny, who was glancing between Dumbledore and himself, her eyes wide. Hermione just seemed stunned that a teacher would do something out of the ordinary. Even the other Professors appeared surprised at Dumbledore. 

Finally he arrived, sauntering up calmly. Harry was relieved to notice that he had a small smile on his face, which reassured him that it probably wasn't bad news. Everyone in the Great Hall had their eyes locked on Dumbledore. 

"Good morning, Mr. Potter. You are well, I trust?" Dumbledore said, as if he had just stopped by to say hello. 

"Erm, fine, thank you. And you?" Harry said, feeling as though those words were an utterly stupid thing to say. 

"Splendid, splendid. Trying the sausage this morning, I see. I, myself, found my omelet to be excellent," Dumbledore said affably, not appearing to notice that the entire hall was listening to him discuss breakfast. 

"Yeah, excellent," Harry said, wanting to shake Dumbledore and find out what he was doing. 

"I believe tonight is a meeting of your club, is it not?" Dumbledore said, eyebrows raised. 

"Er, yes, sir," Harry said, confused. 

"I had a thought," Dumbledore said. A long pause ensued after this statement. 

"A thought – erm, sir?" Harry said finally, wishing he would get to the point before his heart gave out. The entire hall was dead silent, Dumbledore's voice carrying over the tables. 

"Yes. Mr. Potter, may I request the honor of a friendly duel between the two of us, in lieu of tonight's meeting?" 

Harry's jaw dropped as he stared in stunned disbelief, Dumbledore's statement washing over him like a tidal wave. It didn't seem to actually register in his mind; it only echoed in his skull. Harry could hear sharp intakes of breath around the hall as the silence slowly transformed into a low murmur, before falling silent again. He felt every eye on him as the seconds ticked away. 

He blinked and realized he hadn't yet said anything to Dumbledore. Harry willed his voice to work again, hoping that it didn't squeak. "A-a duel? Between me – and you?" 

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Yes, Mr. Potter. Shall we say eight-thirty tonight, here in the Great Hall? Of course, for this occasion I think we could open it up to anyone who would care to witness the proceedings. Well then, I look forward to our match tonight. Good day, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore strode off, seeming to leave a vacuum in his wake. 

Harry glanced desperately between Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Ginny simply appeared shocked, and Ron had an expression of abject horror on his face. Hermione looked nervous, but thoughtful, and Harry thought he could almost see the wheels turning in her head, oddly giving him some comfort. He stared down at his abruptly inedible-looking breakfast, his gut feeling that nothing good could come from this. 

Harry glanced at Ron, who looked absolutely awful. "What?" Harry asked. 

"You... you've never seen a dueling tournament at the high levels, have you?" Ron asked, biting his fist. 

"No..." Harry responded slowly. 

Ron looked very reluctant. "Er, well, I mean... I'm not trying to scare you, mate..." He stopped. 

Goose pimples rose on Harry's arms. 

"At the level that Dumbledore duels... the very highest levels..." Ron started, but then couldn't continue. 

"Just tell me," Harry said with gritted teeth. 

"All right," Ron said, glancing at Harry, apparently deciding to say it straight out. "Um, losing wizards are usually carried out on stretchers at the end of a match. I mean, think about the spells you have to use in a high level duel, between the most powerful wizards in the world. Stupefy spells aren't going to cut it. _Very _strong spells are used." 

Harry ran his fingers through his hair, feeling utterly out of his league in the whole thing. 

"But... they usually try and make certain that no one dies," Ron said, evidently believing that would improve Harry's outlook. 

Ginny put her hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Dumbledore has his reasons for asking you. Have confidence in yourself. You'll be great." Harry looked at her and smiled weakly. Ginny gave him an optimistic smile back. 

"You're going to have to choose a second," Ron said, still looking very nervous. 

Harry immediately turned to Hermione and asked pleadingly, "You'll be my second, won't you?" 

"Of course I will, Harry," Hermione appeared to be recovering from the shock. 

Harry realized that he might have been rude. He glanced nervously between Ron and Ginny. "Um, Ginny, Ron..." 

Ron waved him off. "Don't even think it, Harry. There is no way I want anyone else other than Hermione next to you." Hermione flushed at the praise. 

"It's not even a question," Ginny said firmly. "Ron and I will be there, of course, but we all know that Hermione knows more than all of us put together." 

Harry looked at them both thankfully, grateful that they understood. 

"Well, then, we had better get started," Hermione said. 

"Started? Doing what?" Harry said, feeling overwhelmed. 

"Studying, of course. We need to prepare for the duel tonight. We have some time before our next class. We need to go to the library." 

Ron swore. "Study?" he asked in disbelief. "How the bloody hell do you study for a duel with Dumbledore?" 

"Ron, watch your language!" Hermione said disapprovingly. "We should review spells that are useful for dueling. Just because it's Dumbledore doesn't mean we can't prepare ourselves as best we can." 

Harry seemed to be only half-hearing Hermione. He silently agreed with Ron. He didn't think he would find a formula for dueling Dumbledore in some long-forgotten book. 

But Hermione's mind appeared to be made up. She got up from the table, glaring at Ron, and gave Harry an expectant look. 

"Go, Harry. I'll check in on you later, after my classes," Ginny said, smiling supportively. 

Harry didn't know what else to do anyway, so he allowed Hermione to lead him out of the hall, Ron trailing behind them. Anyway, he didn't have any better ideas, and at least he would be away from all the eyes that seemed to be filled with dread for him. At least most of them; the Slytherins appeared to be relishing the idea of his inevitable defeat. 

As he was leaving, he glanced back at Ginny. She was watching him and then she raised her hand and gave him a thumbs-up. He wasn't certain why, but he felt a little better. 

* * * 

Harry was used to getting a lot of looks from his classmates that year for various reasons, but the latest expressions somehow were the worst. Everyone seemed to glance at him with dread, as if he had come down some deadly disease and had only days to live. _And maybe that isn't far from the truth, _he thought morosely as he entered Advanced Charms class after lunch. 

"Ah, Potter. I have some information you may be interested in," Malfoy said, walking up to him with a smirk. He handed Harry a piece of parchment with a list of names. "I looked up Dumbledore's record of dueling opponents. They all had an average stay in the hospital of around a week. I'm confident you'll beat that; I'm counting on a few months, myself." 

Harry tried not to give Malfoy the satisfaction of reading the list, but he couldn't help it. Name after name was listed with the date, outcome, and the last column had the victor, with "DUMBLEDORE" on every line. Apparently Dumbledore had never lost a match. 

Harry willed himself to keep his face straight as he handed the list back to Malfoy with a shrug, but the list had badly unnerved him. Malfoy walked away, laughing loudly. 

Somehow, Harry managed to get through the day, the time passing far too quickly. Hermione insisted on visits to both the standard library and Dumbledore's library as they tried to cram as much research in as possible. McGonagall had sent a small note with the rules for the match. It was to be played using standard tournament regulations, which disallowed attacking a wizard while on the ground or launching multiple complex attack spells. Harry didn't quite understand the latter, until Hermione explained it. 

"I looked up the details in the regulations," she said. "For example, when I did the bubble on Malfoy's head, I would have to give him a fair chance to get rid of it before launching another attack. The intent is to make the matches last longer and be more exciting. Otherwise, the first wizard that gets something past the other wizard would almost always win. You can do as many fast attacks as you want, though, like stunning spells or bludgeoning spells." 

That evening, he picked at his meal as the clock inexorably crept towards the appointed time. He couldn't help sneaking a glance toward the teacher's table, where Dumbledore was eating his dinner and chatting with the other Professors as usual. 

"Come on, Harry, eat something," Ginny said. "You need to keep your energy up." 

Harry sighed and forced himself to take a bite of his spaghetti, mostly to please her, also causing Hermione to give him an expression of approval as well. Ron appeared quite nervous, but it didn't seem to be affecting his appetite as he packed away his usual huge dinner. 

At seven o'clock, everyone was ushered out of the Great Hall so that the room could be prepared. There was a small army of house-elves at the ready, supervised by Professor Flitwick. The students were told they could return after eight o'clock. 

They waited in the common room, Harry staring into the fire, trying to mentally review what he and Hermione had read that day, but finding it very difficult to concentrate. Ginny was sitting next to him, reading a textbook, and Ron and Hermione were playing chess. He could tell they weren't really concentrating on what they were doing, but he was grateful for the brief time of low-key silence. 

At around a quarter until eight, Ginny glanced up from her book. "Harry, maybe you should go up and change." 

"Change what?" Harry said blankly. 

"Your robe! You don't want to duel with Dumbledore in _that. _It has a hole in the knees, and food stains on it! Surely you have a nicer one?" she said with a frown. 

"Ginny's right, Harry," Hermione said disapprovingly. 

"Come on, I'll go up with you," Ginny said, rising to her feet. 

Harry sighed and trudged up the stairs with her, feeling as if the whole thing was getting far too complicated. They entered Harry's dormitory, which was empty of his roommates, since everyone was in the common room waiting to go down to the duel. Harry nervously realized that this was the first time that he had been alone with Ginny in his room, especially since they had started going out... 

"Where are your robes?" Ginny asked. 

"Erm, in there," Harry said, pointing at the top drawer of his dresser. Ginny opened the drawer, causing Harry to feel very embarrassed as he realized that he kept his underwear in the same drawer. Ginny noticed his expression and giggled. 

"Oh, honestly, Harry. With six brothers, you think I've never seen boys' underwear before?" 

Harry said nothing. Maybe she had seen boys' underwear before, but that was entirely different from seeing _his _underwear. Ginny quickly shuffled through Harry's black robes, finally pulling one from the bottom of the pile. 

"Great Merlin, Harry. Do you always pull the same one off the top? This one looks like it's never been worn, as if you never worked your way that far down the stack. Boys!" she said, rolling her eyes. She unfolded the robe, holding it up critically. "Well, I suppose it's fortunate in this case. Let me use a quick anti-wrinkle spell, and you'll be fine." 

She waved her wand on it, casting a spell. The wrinkles vanished out of the robe, making it look very black and pressed. "All right, put it on." 

Harry pulled off his old robe, revealing his normal T-shirt and trousers that he wore under his robes. He pulled over the new robe. "Better?" he asked, amused at all the attention. 

Ginny smiled at him. "Much better," she said in a low voice, as she moved up and adjusted his collar. "You're going to be brilliant tonight." She gazed up into his eyes, making Harry all the more aware that they were alone in the room. 

She slowly wrapped her arms around him. "This worked for luck last time," she whispered. 

"I may need a lot of luck this time," Harry replied, with a small, shy smile. 

* * * 

As Harry and Ginny came back down the stairs, he saw Hermione glancing at the clock impatiently. "It's after eight, Harry! We should go down and get settled!" 

Harry sighed, figuring there was no use getting there at the last second. "Yeah, all right." 

Many of the other Gryffindors in the room had begun filing out the portrait hole as well. As Hermione got up from her chair, Harry noticed that she was carrying a bag. He was curious about what she was bringing, but didn't really feel like asking questions. 

They headed out the portrait hall, traveling down the corridors. Many of students wished him good luck as he walked down. Ginny had momentarily distracted him from his task, but all the well-wishing seemed to have an undercurrent that he really needed the well wishes, making him grow more nervous. 

As Harry entered the Great Hall, he stopped abruptly, looking around in wonderment. It had been transformed into a large dueling arena, with tall grandstands surrounding a cleared-out center area. 

"Wow, Dumbledore really went all out," Ron said appreciatively. "This is way better than the setup for the Dueling Club in second year." 

Harry had to admit it was impressive. The center of the arena had a long, red rectangle placed on the stone floor, apparently the dueling area itself. Peering at the stands, he could see students filing in, looking very excited as they climbed into their seats. Harry walked up to the arena itself and stopped as he saw an odd shimmer. He put out his hand and it stopped against some sort of shield. 

"That's a Spectator Shield," Hermione said knowledgeably. "It's so the people in the stands won't get hurt by stray powerful spells." 

_What about people inside the shield? _Harry thought grimly, but figured he should try and maintain a confident exterior. 

It appeared as if every student in the school was showing up as the stands filled up with more and more people. Harry could also see many of the teachers filing in; Professor Melanadray caught his eye and waved to him from a seat about half-way up. 

"Harry!" said a familiar voice. 

"Mrs. Weasley!?" Harry said incredulously as she gave him a huge hug. She was being followed by Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Bill and Charlie, who all pumped his hand enthusiastically. Ginny hugged everyone, and Ron shook hands all around as well. He tried to avoid a hug from his mother in front of everyone, but Mrs. Weasley grabbed him despite his best attempt to dodge. 

"Hello, dear," said Mrs. Weasley to Harry. 

"What are all of you doing here?" Harry asked, blinking his eyes, looking between them all. 

"Are you kidding, Harry?" said Fred, with a huge grin. 

"You think Dumbledore having a duel with Harry Potter isn't big news?" said George with an equally huge grin. 

"The word spread like wildfire. The only reason this place isn't crawling with Daily Prophet reporters is that Dumbledore kicked them out," said Fred. 

"No way we were going to miss this," said George. "And, of course, we had to let Bill and Charlie know." 

"I Apparated as soon as I heard," said Charlie. "It's not every day that Dumbledore has a dueling exhibition match, especially with our sister's boyfriend." He grinned at that last, but the smile fell under a glare from Mrs. Weasley. Harry suspected that she had told them to go easy on him about that, to Harry's great relief. 

"Fortunately, I was already in town for Gringotts," Bill said, looking cool as usual as he smirked a little at Charlie's comment. "With my luck, I might've been stuck in a tomb." 

"And, of course, we wanted to be here to support you, dear," said Mrs. Weasley with a smile. 

"Minister Fudge is going to be here, too," said Mr. Weasley, looking very excited. "He had some sort of dinner meeting with a European delegation, but they decided to cancel their dinner plans and watch the duel instead." 

Just then, a very official-looking group of men and women came into the Hall, talking animatedly, and Harry recognized Fudge, the Minister of Magic among them. Harry groaned. 

"Who is coming to this?" Harry asked disbelievingly. 

"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks said enthusiastically, walking up and appearing very excited. "Wow! A duel with Dumbledore. That's quite an honor." Harry also saw Blackhorn, Page and MacGregor milling about, with some other strangers that Harry assumed were probably Aurors. 

"Yeah, honor," Harry said weakly. "How many Aurors came?" 

"Blimey, I don't know," Tonks said, grinning. "When word came, it was like a bomb had hit the place. Everyone was trying to get permission to come onto the Hogwarts grounds to watch. I know the heads of all the Auror divisions are here. In fact, I'm pretty certain I saw the Headmaster of the Auror Academy floating about, so you'll want to try and impress him." She laughed, but Harry found it very difficult to find any of this funny. "Mad-Eye and Remus are around somewhere as well. Mad-eye is probably dragging him around, checking for any traps." She rolled her eyes. 

"Well, we'd better get a seat. Good luck, Harry," Mr. Weasley said. The rest of the Weasleys wished him luck as well as Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a kiss on the cheek. They headed up into the stands. 

"Good luck, Harry," said Tonks, giving him a friendly punch on the arm. "You know the Aurors will be rooting for you." 

"Thanks," Harry said, wanting to run away and hide. 

A buzz of excitement ran through the room as it filled to capacity. Harry had no idea how many people were there; the grandstands appeared to magically expand as needed. 

Harry saw Madam Pomfrey enter the Hall, lugging a very large trunk with "Portable Healing Kit" on the side. She was looking very grim, which lasted until she glanced at Harry, at which time her face fell into an expression of downright dread. Harry felt himself grow short of breath. 

Professor Trelawney floated into the room, looking very ethereal with an enormous number of beads around her neck. Harry was surprised to see her; she hardly ever came out of her tower. 

"Mr. Potter!" she said, coming up to him. "You _must_ let me take a reading!" She placed her hand firmly on his head and looked off into the distance, as Harry squirmed. 

"Oh... Oh... OH!" she said, her eyes growing wide with shock as she put her hand over her mouth. Her face fell into an expression between sympathy and horror. "My poor, poor boy. I see... I see... _pain_. Terrible, terrible _pain_. And... snapping sounds, like dry branches under the feet of a giant. I have to stop... I can't bear to See any more!" 

Trelawney ran away in grief. Harry noticed that her reluctance to see more didn't stop her from climbing into the stands and finding a good seat. 

Harry moved away from the door to avoid any more surprises. He stood against a wall with Ginny, Ron and Hermione, trying to keep himself calm. Ginny was massaging his shoulders, which normally might have felt good but right now he felt so much tension that her fingers seemed to be barely denting the taught muscles. 

Some time later, he noticed Madam Pomfrey rolling in what appeared to be a large operating table, piled high with more medical gear. He blinked at it, wondering if she was planning on setting up a new infirmary in the Great Hall. His tension ratcheted up several notches. 

McGonagall approached him, appearing about as anxious as Harry had ever seen her. "How are you, Potter?" she asked. 

"Erm, fine," he lied. 

She nodded, looking as if she didn't hear a word of Harry's response. "Good, good. Now, don't worry about anything. I'll be refereeing the match. I'll be there in case anything gets... out of hand," she said. 

"Uh... out of hand?" Harry asked uneasily, but she was already walking away distractedly. Harry didn't feel comforted in the least by her assurances. 

"Well, it's almost time, Harry," Ginny said, glancing at Ron. "We'd better head on up." 

Ron was wearing a very bleak expression. "Yeah. Seamus was supposed to save us some good seats," he said in a low voice, the way one might speak to a dying person. 

"Ron! Stop looking at Harry as if he's on his death bed," Hermione said, annoyed. Ron forced a horrible-looking smile to his face, showing far too many teeth. 

"Forget it, Ron," Harry said, grimacing. "I'll take the grim look over whatever that expression is." 

Ron's face immediately fell. "Good luck, mate," he said, clapping his hand on Harry's shoulder. 

Ginny came up and whispered in his ear. "You're going to do wonderfully," she said, and kissed his cheek. Harry gave her a feeble smile in return. She squeezed his hand and left with Ron toward the stands. Harry could see Seamus close to the front next to two empty seats. 

Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked a little nervous, but appeared much more confident than Harry felt. She smiled at him encouragingly. "Oh, Harry, don't worry. What's the worst that can happen? Dumbledore wins. There's no shame in that. And he would never hurt you." 

"Yeah, I guess so," Harry said. She was right about that; there was no shame in losing to Dumbledore, but he couldn't help feeling like a complete fraud who didn't belong within miles of the same arena as Dumbledore. And, as Ron said, accidents could easily happen in this sort of thing. 

Several minutes later, the clock hit eight-thirty exactly, and Dumbledore entered the room, wearing a magnificent dueling robe of a dark blue with dark purple trim, monogrammed with various magical symbols. Harry peered down at his own plain black robe, which fortunately was clean, pressed and hole-free. He was extremely grateful that Ginny and Hermione had insisted that he change into something else. 

Snape followed Dumbledore through the door soon after. He paused, surveying the room, and then locked eyes with Harry. He stared for several seconds, then curled his lip into a sneer, before turning away and following Dumbledore into the arena. 

"Snape is going to be his second?" Harry asked, surprised. He wasn't certain what he expected, but somehow seeing Snape involved in any way pushed his anxiety level another few degrees. 

"Apparently so, Harry. Well, we'd best go in," Hermione said. After a pause, she gave Harry a little push when he seemed to be frozen to his spot. 

They moved through the Spectator Shield where they had seen Dumbledore and Snape enter. Harry and Hermione walked to the end opposite Dumbledore, Harry glancing around nervously. From the center of the room, the crowd appeared even larger. 

McGonagall went to the center of the room and the crowd noise died down, waiting for her to speak. Her voice projected very loud throughout the hall, apparently using an amplification spell. 

"Ahem. Thank you all for coming," she said. "Today's exhibition match pits Professor Albus Dumbledore versus Harry Potter. The format shall be Flewelling of Staffingham rules, best of three rounds, five minutes per round, with a five minute break in-between each round. A ring of the bell begins each round. The round will continue until the bell rings again, one wizard is incapacitated, or one wizard capitulates. Loss of wand does not end the round. No instantly lethal spells." 

_Does that mean slowly lethal is okay!? _Harry thought anxiously, a bit of panic starting to seep in. 

"Wizards and seconds, please join me," McGonagall said. 

Harry glanced at Hermione and began slowly walking out to the center, meeting Dumbledore and Snape, who had moved over as well. 

"Wizards bow to each other," McGonagall said. 

Harry bowed, feeling extremely awkward compared to Dumbledore's graceful bow. 

"Wizards bow to seconds." 

Harry bowed to Snape, as Hermione bowed to Dumbledore. Harry was a bit surprised at how well Hermione did it; she did a very formal bow. It occurred to Harry that she probably looked in a book for the proper bow for this occasion. McGonagall then asked that seconds bow to seconds. 

"Wizards take your places, seconds move to the safe zone during combat," McGonagall said. 

Harry glanced around and saw three blue squares with chairs. One blue square was behind the end of the rectangular area, containing two chairs. A matching blue area was at the opposite end, and a third area was off the middle, apparently for McGonagall. The McGonagall area had a bell hovering in the air with a hammer suspended above it. Hermione went and sat down on her chair, placing her bag to the side, as Snape moved to his own area. 

"Assume your stance," McGonagall said. Harry and Dumbledore moved to a dueling stance, wands held out in front of them. 

McGonagall moved to her safety area, looking between the two of them. The crowd noise increased noticeably as the excitement grew. The ball rang. 

Harry decided to begin with some stunner variations, still feeling somewhat nervous with the whole thing. Dumbledore easily blocked them, barely moving his wand. 

Dumbledore gave a long sweep of his arm, and a powerful spell surged from his wand. Harry tried to block the spell, but he nervously got his shield up far too late and it got through his defenses. He felt it slam into him, and he flew ten feet through the air and landed on his back with a dull thud. A huge roar went up from the crowd, a combination of cheers and groans. 

He rolled over in pain and peered back at Dumbledore. He had returned to a defensive posture, waiting for Harry to get up again. He had a slight smile on his face. As Harry watched, the corner of one side of his mouth crept up. _Is he smirking at me!? _Harry thought incredulously. He felt a cold anger rising up in him. _Right then. If that's the way he wants to play, I know a few spells, too._

Harry slowly climbed to his feet, his eyes locked on Dumbledore. The crowd, still buzzing loudly, seemed to fall away as his concentration focused solely on the arena. Suddenly Dumbledore had ceased to be his Professor and teacher, and was now a competitor, his opponent. It was just like a Quidditch match. Plan your strategy. Play the game. He might not win, but he was not going to go down without a fight. 

Harry daringly launched some very powerful spells, ones that he normally wouldn't have considered using in a friendly duel. Dumbledore blocked them, nodding his head slightly. 

Dumbledore launched a very powerful curse; one Harry didn't quite recognize, but his shield spell blocked it anyway, a swirl of violent color surrounding him. A chill went down Harry's spine; whatever the spell was, it had been powerful and Dumbledore clearly wasn't messing about. 

Harry dodged another spell, immediately launching a return spell. His aim was a bit low, and he was surprised to see Dumbledore use some sort of magically-enhanced jumping spell to leap over the spell. 

A wonderful feeling of freedom ran through Harry as he used spells of greater and greater power... ones that he had only ever used in the testing area of Dumbledore's Library... he could see Dumbledore concentrating, having a bit more trouble completely blocking them... 

Harry launched a freezing spell; Dumbledore cast a spell that caused it to disburse, but Harry saw some frost on Dumbledore's robe... some of the spell had penetrated, giving him a bit more confidence... 

Suddenly the bell rang, ending the round. Harry and Dumbledore immediately ceased and walked back to their corners. The gallery roared a loud applause as they sat down on their chairs. 

"Harry, that was fantastic!" Hermione said enthusiastically. "You had a bit of a rough start, but toward the end, you were holding your own!" 

Harry blew out a slow breath. The first round was over and he had survived. He looked up to Ginny and Ron, who were clapping and cheering as Hermione passed him a bottle of water that she had pulled out of her bag. He glanced at the bottle, thankful that Hermione was thinking about these sort of things. He hadn't thought about bringing anything to drink. 

McGonagall walked out to the middle to announce the results of the first round. She held up her hand with a stern expression, and the crowd grew quiet. 

"First round to Dumbledore," she said in a businesslike voice. The crowd began applauding again as McGonagall moved back to her waiting spot. 

The break time seemed to pass much too quickly as McGonagall came back out and gestured to Harry and Professor Dumbledore. 

"Contestants, take your places," McGonagall announced. Harry walked back out, feeling a bit less nervous now that he had a round under his belt. The crowd cheered again as they took their positions. 

"Assume your stance." Harry and Dumbledore turned to each other, raising their wands. 

The bell rang, beginning the second round. 

Harry felt himself getting into a rhythm of launching spells. His wand seemed to almost move of its own accord, as he and Dumbledore traded various spells and counter-spells. The were both launching very powerful spells, but both had difficulty gaining a clear advantage. Harry was feeling much more confident about his ability to defend, but he wasn't making much headway in getting an attack past Dumbledore's defense. 

Toward the end of the round, Harry launched a hex a bit low, and Dumbledore again did a jump over the spell, and shot one back at him. Harry easily blocked it. 

A thought germinated in the back of Harry's mind and moved to the forefront. He was sensing a pattern to Dumbledore's movements. Without any further thought, he shot a bludgeoning spell at Dumbledore's knees, waited a split second, then rapidly shot a barrage of perfectly aimed bludgeoning spells in an arc over Dumbledore's head. Dumbledore leaped up to dodge the knee spell. 

Too late, Dumbledore realized he had just jumped into the other spells. He twisted in the air, sweeping his wand to make a shield to block the spells. Most of the spells were blocked, but one slipped through, smashing into his arm, causing him to spin in the air and crash to the ground. 

Harry immediately stopped and assumed a defensive pose. He looked at Dumbledore's left non-wand arm, which was bent at almost a right angle. It was badly broken. 

With a speed Harry found amazing, Dumbledore reached over and tapped his wand on his broken arm. Dumbledore grimaced as the arm immediately straightened. He then tapped his arm again, and lifted it off the ground, apparently healed. Harry couldn't help but be awed at the demonstration of instant self-healing. Dumbledore flew to his feet, and drew his wand back, preparing his response. 

The bell rang, ending the round. A loud cheer rose from the crowd, then immediately grew quieter as McGonagall walked out to announce the results. She looked at Dumbledore, and then looked at Harry, seemingly unable to speak. Finally she pulled herself together and briskly announced, "Mr. Potter wins round two." 

The crowd launched themselves to their feet and made a deafening roar of applause and cheering. The Gryffindors in particular were almost rioting. Harry moved back to Hermione and sat down on his stool. 

"That was incredible, Harry! You won the round!" Hermione said, out of breath, red marks on her face where her fingers had been clutched to her face. 

Harry peered over at Dumbledore. He saw a look in Dumbledore's eyes he had never seen before... a competitive look, a fire in his eyes. He and Snape were whispering to each other seriously, apparently discussing strategy. 

Hermione began speaking spells in his ear, as fast as she could, over the din of the crowd. Harry nodded when he heard various ideas that sounded workable. The crowd was still loudly talking; a feeling of electricity filled the air. He glanced up at Ginny, who was tightly hugging her legs, folded under her chin. Ron was next to her with his hands to the side of his head, looking as if he wouldn't be able to take much more. 

"Contestants, take your places." McGonagall announced. Harry and Dumbledore rose and went to their spots. 

"The third and final round to decide the match. Assume your stance." Harry and Dumbledore again raised their wands. Harry felt a thrill of fear and elation. 

The bell rang. The two combatants immediately started launching spells, Harry throwing himself to the side as he cast his spell; he suspected that Dumbledore would try something strong to take him out, and he was proven correct as he could feel the spell tingling his skin as it passed by him. It hit the Spectator Shield, which made a loud warbling sound with a bright flash. 

A suggestion that Hermione had whispered to him came to mind. Feeling a bit bold, he waved his wand and shouted, "_Immensus Serpensortia!_" 

A huge serpent began uncoiling from his wand, seeming to grow in breadth as it landed on the ground. When it finally finished, Harry couldn't help but back up a step. It was at least thirty feet long, and a good foot thick. The head was particularly imposing. It was at least two feet wide, with long, vicious fangs. He heard the crowd scream in reaction. It wasn't the basilisk, but it was frightening nonetheless. 

The snake reared up nine feet in the air, hissing menacingly. Harry pointed his wand at Dumbledore and commanded "_Attack!_" in Parseltongue. It immediately started toward Dumbledore, with what seemed to be a very hungry expression on its face. 

Dumbledore, for his part, appeared a bit taken aback at the sudden appearance of the enormous snake. He recovered quickly, and tried a few standard vanishing spells. Nothing happened. Apparently realizing he would have to fight it, he launched some powerful spells at the snake, which absorbed the impact impressively. It only made the snake angrier and more determined. 

It lunged at Dumbledore, who immediately used an impediment charm to push it back. The snake hissed in rage as Dumbledore backed away, launching another spell. A glowing spear flew out of his wand, stabbing the serpent. Blood began pouring out the wound as the snake thrashed about. Dumbledore sent a few more spears, one stabbing it through the neck. The snack whipped its tail around, just barely missing Dumbledore's head as he ducked in the nick of time. 

Unfortunately, Dumbledore was distracted long enough for the serpent to strike. One of its fangs caught Dumbledore in the shoulder, ripping his beautiful robe and opening a ragged wound. 

He launched a few more spear spells, causing the snake to finally fall to the ground, finished. The crowd noisily applauded the defeat of the snake as it seemed to melt into the floor, vanishing. Harry could see Dumbledore breath out a bit of relief, and then glared at him, his eyes narrowing. Harry felt the hairs on his arms stand up and involuntarily took a step backward. Dumbledore had a look on his face that he hoped he would never see again directed at him – Dumbledore was _angry_. 

_Now it's time for some payback, _Harry thought tensely. He took a defensive posture, and prepared himself. Dumbledore mumbled a complicated incantation and made an enormous sweep of his arm. A cloud of yellow smoke emitted from his wand, and then twisted and turned in the air. It began to coalesce into a large number of small objects. Harry peered closer, and noticed they seemed to be flying insects. Then he saw what they were – a swarm of bees. An angry buzzing emanated from the swarm, a terrifying sound. The mass of insects pulsed and throbbed as Dumbledore pointed his wand at Harry and commanded them to strike. The crowd gave another loud scream. 

Harry thought frantically... what do you do with bees? Then an odd thought came to him... of all things, a Muggle documentary came into his head. Killer bees... what did they do to them... they burned them... 

Harry swept his arm and gave a powerful inferno charm. A wall of fire erupted from his wand, just in time to form a barrier between himself and the bees. The swarm surged forward toward Harry, recklessly heading into the flames. They burst through the blaze, most but not all of the bees catching fire and dropping toward the ground in burning arcs. 

Harry ran backwards, giving himself some room to work. He used a slightly different spell to cause flames to shoot out of his wand, but that only seemed to make the remaining bees angrier as they dodged the flames and started attacking him. 

He started desperately launching stunning spells at the remains of the swarm. He couldn't get them all as the bees aggressively flew at him. Harry quickly pulled his hood over his face, but felt a bit of panic as he could feel the bees swarming him, stinging his arms. He ran farther backwards, and cast a bubblehead charm underneath his hood. He pulled his hood back, allowing him to see and also kept the bees away from his face. 

He alternated Impediment spells with stunning spells to hold them back and slowly reduce their numbers. Despite his best efforts, a large number insects got through his defenses and stung his neck, as well as flew up his robes to further sting his arms. 

At last the number of bees was reduced to a manageable level, and Harry was able to pick off the last few. He vaguely heard the crowd cheering him for defeating the bees. His arms and neck were puffy, and the skin burned from all the stings. He noticed a fair number of stingers in the skin of his arms and chest, and the pain from them was intense. An idea occurred to him, and he decided to give it a shot. 

He held up his wand in front of him and cast, "_Accio stingers! Accio venom!_" Small bits of insect matter flew up out of his skin, and fluttered to the ground. He didn't feel completely back to normal, but it felt a lot better. 

The inferno charm had worn off in the meantime as Harry looked back over at his opponent. Dumbledore wore a stern expression as he watched Harry deal with the bees. 

Harry wasn't certain how much time was left, but the round felt close. It was now or never to win it. He started launching spells as fast as he could, anything he could think of. Dumbledore seemed to sense the same as they both went for an all-out assault, forgetting any subtle or complex spells. It was a lot like his Golem practice as he blocked spells and launched hexes. The crowd excitement was reaching an insane crescendo. 

Dumbledore appeared to primarily depend on magic to block spells; whereas Harry used a mix of magical defense and physical dodging. Harry kept moving, trying to keep Dumbledore from getting a fix on him. The offensive styles were different as well – Harry was launching spells much faster than the Professor, but Dumbledore's spells were more varied, more targeted; a battle of youth and speed versus age and knowledge. 

The power surging through Harry's body was incredible. He could feel it welling up through his body and down his wand arm. The spells coming from his and Dumbledore's wands were almost blinding in their intensity. Their shields gave deep gonging sounds as they absorbed the magical energy. 

As they traded spells, Harry vaguely noticed the floor beneath their feet glowing slightly, giving off a strange red shimmering... The floor seemed to have a smoky quality... 

The final bell rang. Harry and Dumbledore immediately ceased, and bowed to each other as the red shimmer faded away. Harry felt drenched in sweat, and glancing over, he could see that Dumbledore looked awfully drained as well. The crowd leapt to their feet, wildly cheering and applauding the round. 

McGonagall gestured for silence, and the crowd grew quiet in anxious anticipation. She beckoned Harry and Dumbledore over to her side, along with Hermione and Snape. Each team stood on either side of her as she prepared to make her announcement. 

She appeared rather shaken. "I must say, in all my years I have never seen a duel like that. Before I announce the outcome, I think a round of applause is in order." 

The crowd gave an enthusiastic round of applause and cheering. Harry could see that even the teachers were animated in their clapping. 

The audience finally quieted, and McGonagall continued. "Both contestants fought with distinction. I hereby declare the final round, Dumbledore versus Potter, a draw. Therefore, the match ends in a draw." 

The crowd erupted in a raucous standing ovation. Harry's view of the crowd was suddenly obscured by a mass of bushy brown hair as Hermione embraced him excitedly. She broke away, and Harry found Ron and Ginny in the crowd, clapping for all they were worth. Grinning widely, he turned and Dumbledore gave him an unmistakable look of pride. He nodded at Harry and walked over and put his arm around him. They both bowed to the crowd, as the noise grew deafening. 

They bowed a few more times, and Harry shot a glance at Snape. His face was expressionless. Harry looked him in the eye defiantly. To Harry's surprise, Snape finally gave him the barest nod and turned away. 

"Congratulations, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, appearing very drained from the whole thing. "That was... frankly, unbelievable." 

"Thank you, Professor," said Harry. 

"There's something you should know," she said, peering at him over her glasses. 

"All right," Harry said uncertainly. 

"No one has ever won a dueling round against Professor Dumbledore. He has not only never lost a match, but never even a round. You're the first. Let me also tell you that in that final round, the Professor wanted to win very badly. He takes his magic very seriously and did not give you anything." 

Harry nodded silently, not certain what to say to that, as Ginny and Ron came into the dueling arena. Ginny suddenly broke into a run and threw herself into his arms, hugging him excitedly. "Oh, Harry, you were absolutely amazing... I'm so proud of you..." 

She backed up and looked at him carefully. "How do you feel?" 

Harry felt that was an extremely good question. Now that she mentioned it, he felt like he had bruises all over his body, and the skin on his arms and neck still burned and felt very puffy. "Physically speaking, dreadful," he said, grinning. 

"Well, you go see Madam Pomfrey _right now,_" Ginny said sternly, pointing over to the Madam with her huge pile of medical supplies. Dumbledore was already seated next to her. 

Harry sighed, nodding compliantly. He started to move over, then hesitated. "Do you mind if I speak to Professor Dumbledore alone?" Harry asked. 

"Of course not, Harry. I'll wait over here with Ron and Hermione," she said with a smile. She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. 

Harry moved over and took a seat next to Dumbledore, whose shoulder appeared as if Pomfrey had already healed it. Dumbledore grimaced a bit as Madam Pomfrey examined his arm, making a clucking sound. 

"Professor! Far be it for me to tell you how to duel, but I must say that you know that's not an accepted method of bone repair," she said disapprovingly. "I thought I had brought everything I'd need, but I didn't think I'd be re-breaking bones. Wait here; I'll return shortly." 

Harry looked at Dumbledore incredulously as Pomfrey walked off. "Erm, Professor, what did she mean by that?" 

Dumbledore chuckled. "That was a marvelous tactic you used, Harry. I've always had a bit of a weakness for that leaping spell, and you caught on almost instinctively. I deserved what I got; old habits die hard. As for your question, emergency bone repairs like the one I performed are very temporary. The bone must be re-broken and set for several days, I'm afraid." 

Harry stared at him. "Why did you do it, then?" 

"I haven't had this much fun in decades. I wasn't about to let a mere broken arm get in the way of our finishing the duel," Dumbledore said with a smile, his blue eyes twinkling. 

Harry smiled back. "Could you teach me that spell? I don't think I've ever seen it in a book anywhere..." 

"Of course, Harry. I will send you the details once I get back to my office. Not everyone can do the spell, of course, but it's highly useful in emergency situations. One caveat... it's extremely painful, which is why it's hardly even mentioned anywhere. It's not a particularly subtle spell, particularly the first phase where you straighten the bone," Dumbledore said. 

"I'm sorry, sir," Harry said, feeling guilty. 

"Not at all. You won that round fairly," Dumbledore said. 

He paused and looked at Harry with an odd expression, a combination of curiosity and almost a shrewd, sly look. "Harry, tell me something. How did you feel – toward the end?" 

Harry thought he knew what he meant, but for some reason didn't want to admit it. "Erm, feel? How do you mean?" he said, glancing away a little. 

Dumbledore gave him a tolerant, knowing smile. "It's all right, Harry. You can tell me." 

"It felt..." Harry swallowed. "It felt – really, really good. Like – I was opening myself up and really letting it go for the first time." 

Dumbledore nodded. "You begin to understand the other side of temptation. It's – exhilarating to let it go like this. The only thing I've ever been able to compare it to, when trying to explain it to – others – is that it's similar to riding on a fast broom, that feeling of power in your hands." 

"Yeah..." Harry said, nodding and thinking about it. "but this is different... I mean..." He couldn't put it into words. 

"I understand, Harry. I've been trying to find the right words for over a hundred years and powerful wizards through history have tried and failed as well. But it's important to know that it's there. It can be – addictive, that feeling of control and power, especially in the context of wizard to wizard combat. 

"All human beings, even Muggles, feel it to some degree. A Muggle can feel it holding a weapon, or in Muggle sports. But wizards like us feel it to a different extent. Our power emanates from our bodies in the most intimate way; it feels as if we can manipulate nature itself, simply by commanding it. 

"Frankly, that is why many wizards seek out the Dark Arts. Dark spells can make you more powerful, but they nearly always extract a terrible price. But many wizards throughout history have sought out that power, willing to pay the price with their bodies, their minds, even their souls. That feeling of power can be very corrupting." 

Harry recalled the letter he and Ginny had seen in the Chamber, from Tom to his mother. As he thought about it, he understood a little better what Tom was talking about. It had been thrilling to use his power like this, letting it go, feeling it welling up from within him. But he couldn't imagine... changing himself to get more. 

"I think... what I have is enough," Harry said. 

Dumbledore nodded, smiling. "Yes, for both of us. And fortunately, for most people, that is the case. But not for everyone." 

Harry noticed Madam Pomfrey standing some distance away, waiting for them to finish their conversation. Dumbledore rose from his seat. 

"Well, Harry, I think it's time to start the party," he said, smiling. 

"Party?" Harry said, blinking. 

Dumbledore amplified his voice and announced to the crowd. "Your attention. Please finish exiting the stands," he said. There were still a few stragglers in the stands, though most everyone had exited and were milling about the room. They quickly left the stands. 

He waved his wand, the grandstands suddenly flying up toward the ceiling, spinning around and then vanishing. The regular tables slowly rolled away from the walls, the crowd quickly making room for them. Dumbledore finally clapped his hands, and party food of every sort appeared on the tables, including an amazing assortment of desserts. 

Now that the whole thing was done, Harry found himself ravenous. People were moving hungrily toward the tables, and he felt a powerful pull himself. He started to get up from his chair... 

"Hold it right there, Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey said threateningly. "You just sit back down so I can fix you up." 

"But... I don't feel that bad... hungry..." Harry said urgently. 

"Sit!" she ordered. 

Dumbledore chuckled. "Best do what she says, Mr. Potter. Madam Pomfrey can be quite insistent about these things." Dumbledore eyed the tables, appearing a bit peckish himself. He clapped Harry on the shoulder and began moving toward the food. 

"And where do you think _you're _going, Professor?" said Pomfrey, her eyebrows raised. 

Harry fought down a laugh as Dumbledore almost looked like a schoolboy caught sneaking out of the dormitory. 

"Ah, Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore said, putting a charming smile on his face with a twinkle in his eye. "_Surely _this can wait until... later?" 

"Now, Professor, don't try that twinkling eye with me," she said brusquely. "You decided to do that bone repair. Now I have to undo it. The longer we wait, the longer it will take to heal, especially at your age. Sit!" 

Dumbledore sat down resignedly. He glanced at Harry as Harry glanced at him, and they both let out simultaneous sighs, as they turned back and eyed the crowd enthusiastically eating the mountain of food, enjoying the party. 

* * * 

_A/N: Big, fat thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	30. Chapter 29 Changes

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 29: Changes_

_A/N: All right you lot. I had so many reviewers saying, 'I can't wait to see the reactions at the party!' or words to that effect, that I felt guilty for not having written anything. :) I mean, originally my thought was, what can anyone say, except 'Wow, Harry, you were great!' which would be pretty dull. So I expressed those thoughts to my beta reader Allie Kiwi, and she joked that she could write some girls talking about Harry at the party. Which she did. So go over and read her story. It's short and very funny. Make sure you leave her reviews, too! [Sib wags finger at readers.] Because she's cool and deserves lots of reviews. [Allie wanted me to mention that she had nothing to do with my plugging her story. Nope, it was all my idea. :)]_

_http://phoenixsong.net/symphony/story.php?cid=1645_

_So, of course, I had to write a whole new part (which references Allie's story, so be sure and read it!), which I don't think ended up too dull. Hey, what's adding another 2500 words to an already completed chapter that I thought was over and done with? See what happens when you review? I live to please my reviewers. :D_

_Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Harry eyed the food, wishing he could join everyone, but knew that he needed to let Madam Pomfrey heal him. He saw Ginny, Ron and Hermione heading over to the tables, chatting with the Weasleys and a few other Gryffindors. 

He could see many of the students sneaking glances at him, making him feel a bit self-conscious about the whole thing now that it was starting to sink in. He had actually dueled Dumbledore to a draw. 

"All right, Mr. Potter. Please remove your robe and your shirt," said Madam Pomfrey. 

Harry hesitated, feeling incredibly exposed with all the people in the Great Hall. Under Madam Pomfrey's glare-of-obedience, however, he finally pulled his robe over his head, and then took his shirt off, draping them over his lap. Harry glanced around, feeling some heat in his face as he saw many girls around the room giggling and pointing at him. 

Madam Pomfrey began healing his scrapes and bruises, as well as the puffy skin from the bee strings. She was just about finished when two girls walked up with plates of food. 

"Ah, Miss Abbott and Miss Simpson! Are those for us?" asked Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. 

The two girls smiled nervously. Hannah Abbott handed a plate to Dumbledore, while a girl Harry vaguely recalled as a Hufflepuff named Amelia thrust the plate under his own nose. Harry took the plate, blinking at her, wondering why she was bringing him food. She was standing rather close, oddly kicking at his robe and putting her foot next to his. 

Noticing the plate held a pumpkin pasty, one of his favorites, he decided not to ask questions as he took a bite. "Thanks," he mumbled through the mouthful, giving her a smile. 

She looked extremely embarrassed as she rushed away back to her friends, her face showing a blush. Harry noticed Ginny across the room giving her a suspicious look, before turning back and continuing to talk to Hermione. 

"All right, Mr. Potter. All fixed up, I'd say. Now, that didn't take long, did it?" Madam Pomfrey asked. 

"No, Madam Pomfrey," Harry said, actually feeling as though it had taken an eternity as he hurriedly put back on his shirt and slipped his robe back over his head. 

"Now, Professor, let's see about that arm," she said as Harry walked away, munching on his pumpkin pasty. He moved over to Ginny, Ron, Hermione and the Weasley brothers, who greeted him enthusiastically. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were off speaking with several of the professors. 

"Ha! I knew you'd do well," Ron said, grinning at him. 

Harry grinned back. "Well, except for the fact that you looked like you wanted to help me pick out coffins." 

"So, Harry, who was that girl giving you the pumpkin pasty?" asked Fred with raised eyebrows. He wasn't smiling. 

"I'd like to know that myself," Ginny said, crossing her arms. 

"Just because you're our business partner doesn't mean you won't pay dearly if you break our sister's heart," said George with an even a greater frown. Bill and Charlie's eyes narrowed, looking like they were waiting for an answer as well. Even Ron's grin had fallen into a look of suspicion. 

"Erm, I... I don't even know her! She just brought me over a plate... I don't know why... I mean, uh..." Harry said quickly, looking between all the Weasley brothers. Suddenly Ginny snickered, the first one to break, and all her brothers soon followed, all laughing loudly at Harry. Even Hermione giggled at him. 

"Great Merlin, it was a wonderful day when we saw that Prophet article with you and Ginny," said Fred between laughs. 

"I can see this is going to be a source of entertainment for years to come," said George with a grin. 

Harry groaned. "All right, all right," He hoped they were done for the night on this subject. 

"Oh, Harry, we're just teasing," Ginny said, still giggling. "Though I did notice some girls watching you when you had your shirt off." 

Suddenly a drawling voice came up behind him. "Yes, Potter, I couldn't help but notice that you found _another_ excuse to disrobe in front of the school." 

Harry turned around and found Malfoy, with Crabbe and Goyle standing behind him like barely-animate slabs of meat. 

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry said, already annoyed at the sight of him. 

"You _do _know that Dumbledore went easy on you, don't you?" Malfoy said with a smirk. 

"What are you babbling on about, ferret head?" Ron said rudely. 

"Come now. Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards in the world. Doesn't it seem a bit – suspicious – that he allowed the whole world to watch himself duel to a _draw _with Potter? It was simply a tactic to fool, well, _certain elements _into believing that Potter is more than he is." 

"You know, Malfoy, we have some new products we've been dying to try out," said Fred maliciously. 

"Yeah. We're always looking for new test subjects," said George. 

"Ah, yes," said Malfoy arrogantly. "The weasel _tradesman_. And such an honorable profession, too. Purveyors of cheap gags and stunts. Your parents must be _so proud_." 

"And you've accomplished so much on your own, haven't you, Malfoy?" Ron said. "I mean, you made certain you were born with money! You must share your secret of how you managed that." 

Malfoy sneered at him. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, Weasley. What's important is that I _was _born into my position, and you – weren't." 

"Bill, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Charlie. 

"Indeed I am, Charlie," Bill said, nodding. 

They both moved on either side of Malfoy, who looked back and forth. Harry could see them surreptitiously pull their wands and mumble an incantation. Bill and Charlie began walking away, with Malfoy seeming to float between them. 

"Is that so? You must show us, Malfoy," said Bill loudly. He winked at Harry. 

Malfoy opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His eyes grew wide as he struggled, but apparently he was stuck between Bill and Charlie under a binding and silencing spell. Crabbe and Goyle looked confused, as if they were wondering what Malfoy was going to show the Weasley brothers. 

Bill and Charlie nonchalantly exited the Great Hall with Malfoy struggling between them. Harry grinned, wondering briefly what they were going to do with him. 

He turned to the food, finally planning on eating in earnest, but a succession of people began coming up to congratulate him. Tonks and a number of Aurors asked about some of the spells he had used, and many others came up as well, including Remus and Mad-Eye. 

"Wow, I had never seen a Rickardian Glow before," Tonks said. "That was impressive." 

"What's that?" Harry asked curiously. 

"Did you notice the glow on the floor toward the end? Usually you only see that effect when you have a lot of powerful wizards throwing around big spells in a small area; the magic bleeds into the floor and causes it to glow temporarily. I've never heard of it happening with just two wizards in a duel, though." 

They continued chatting. As Harry was talking to them all, he noticed Snape standing near a wall, talking to Professor Melanadray. She was talking to him excitedly, while Snape looked quite furious with the world in general, but occasionally forced a smile to his face in response to something she said. Harry wondered with amusement if they were talking about him. 

"Uh oh," said Hermione, looking across the Great Hall. Harry looked where she was looking, and was shocked to see Rita Skeeter lurking in the shadows. 

"How did Skeeter get in here?" Ron said, peering over as well. 

"I think we know _how _she got in here, the question is why and what she plans on doing," Hermione said, infuriated. She began marching over, and after a few seconds, Harry, Ron and Ginny followed her. 

"Hello, Rita," Hermione said sweetly. 

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little blackmailer herself," Skeeter said, her face pinching up as if she had just sucked on a lemon. 

"Exactly what are you doing here?" Hermione demanded. 

"None of your business," Skeeter replied rudely. 

"Oh, but it is," Hermione said coldly. "I _suggest _you be a bit more polite if you want your little secret preserved. I warned you with that last article that if you write _one _negative word about Harry, you will regret it." 

Skeeter suddenly decided to change tactics. "Look, this is all going to be in the Prophet tomorrow, anyway. If you want it to be accurate, why not give me an interview?" 

Ginny snorted. "Yeah, because your interviews are always _so _accurate." 

"Ah, Harry's new love," Skeeter said, smiling and pulling out her pen. "What did you think of Harry's duel? But never mind, you're probably just in it for the fame..." 

Ginny's eyes burned. "I'm with Harry despite the fame, not because of it!" 

"Great quote!" Rita said, chortling as her pen scribbled across the pad. "Do you ever worry for your safety? I'm certain you live in constant fear..." 

Ginny opened her mouth angrily to respond, but Hermione cut her off. 

"Stop bating us for quotes!" Hermione said to Rita. Ginny glanced at Hermione, then appeared to will herself to keep silent. "I'm telling you right now, you better not print _one word _about Harry or Ginny's private life," Hermione said threateningly. 

"Ah, Rita," Dumbledore said kindly, walking up to them. "How delightful to see you." 

"Dumbledore!" said Skeeter warmly, as though she couldn't think of anyone she would rather see, but her eyes darted around, like she was seeking an escape. 

"You are looking as enchantingly sneaky as always," he said. "I seem to recall banning all Daily Prophet reporters from this event, and have to say that I'm curious to know how you circumvented my measures. Of course, now that you're here, I hope you have partaken of our humble hospitality." Dumbledore gestured toward the tables of food. 

"Can I get a quote, Dumbledore? But I suppose you have nothing to say, as usual," Skeeter said. 

"Ah, Mr. Potter," said a voice coming up to them. It was Fudge, the Minister of Magic, being followed by a group of official-looking men and women. 

"Hello, Cornelius," said Dumbledore genially. 

"Please allow me to introduce our distinguished guests," Fudge said smoothly. He proceeded to introduce a litany of older men and women with various titles from too many countries who all came up and shook Harry's hand importantly. Fudge went on to introduce Dumbledore as well. 

"And may I introduce Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandra Mette-Marit of Norway." A beautiful young, blonde woman with fair skin came up to Harry, smiling at him warmly. She held her hand up and Harry took it politely. As she squeezed his hand, letting the touch linger much longer than necessary, she said, "Mr. Potter. May I say how _impressive _I found your performance." Her crystal blue, almost white, eyes gazed into his. 

"Erm, thanks," Harry said, feeling his breath catch. He glanced at Ginny nervously, and saw her glaring at the princess. She then turned to Harry with an expectant frown. Harry thought frantically, wondering what he was supposed to do, when something mercifully clicked into place in his head. 

"Um, this is my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley," he said to everyone, gesturing to Ginny. They all nodded their heads at Ginny politely as she gave her greetings, although he noticed the princess raising her nose slightly as she looked Ginny up and down. Harry then introduced Ron and Hermione. 

"A brilliant display of magic tonight, Mr. Potter," said Fudge, looking at him with pride. "I always had you spotted as a special one." He gestured at Harry, looking at the delegation. "One of my protégés, you understand." 

"Cornelius," Rita Skeeter said. "It's good to see you again." 

"Ah, Rita. I'm delighted to see you," said Fudge with a charming smile. 

"I hate to intrude on a man of your importance, but would you have a few moments to share your thoughts with the public?" Rita said. "I'm certain they'd love to hear how you've brought the young man along." 

Fudge seemed to puff up as if he was inflatable. "Ahem. I suppose I can spare a minute or two. Must be available to the public, what? Keep them informed, that's the ticket." 

"Oh, Cornelius. You are a generous leader to us all," Rita said smoothly, giving him a sly smile. "Why don't we find a quiet corner. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore can entertain your guests for a few minutes." 

"Of course, of course. Dumbledore, old man, you don't mind, do you?" Fudge said. "Ladies and gentleman, if you will excuse me..." 

As they walked away, Fudge whispered in Rita's ear and Harry could have sworn he heard Rita exclaim, "Fudgy!" and giggle. Harry shuddered at the sight and the revolting thought that went along with it. 

Dumbledore led the European delegation away as they gave nods to Harry, leaving him alone with Ginny, Ron and Hermione. 

"Well, tomorrow's Prophet should be interesting," Ron said with a smirk. "By the end of the article, Fudge will probably be Harry's second, and he'll say he planned out the whole duel strategy." 

Harry laughed, but then gave a sigh. He hadn't considered that this evening was only going to get him more attention in the wizarding world. 

"Oh, Harry, don't worry," said Hermione. "At least Fudge is keeping Rita busy. It will give her something to write." 

"Hermione's right, Harry. Come on, let's go get some more food," Ginny said, grabbing his hand. 

They all found a spot next to the tables; Harry concentrating on eating, despite many people continuing to come up and talk to him. Several hours, the party began to wind down somewhat, and the Weasleys joined them again. 

As Harry saw Bill and Charlie, he abruptly remembered they had taken Malfoy away quite some time before. "Hey, come to think of it, what did you two do with Malfoy?" 

They looked at each other, shocked, then started laughing. Charlie answered, "We forgot about him! I wonder if anyone found him..." 

"Found him where?" Ginny asked. 

"Well, we used a foot adhesion charm and hung him upside-down inside the owlery..." said Bill with a wide grin. 

"...under a perch..." continued Charlie with a smirk. 

"Unfortunately, his wand fell out of his pocket," Bill finished. "Quite a shame, really. As we were leaving, we saw Peeves heading into the room. We're certain ol' Peeves kept him company." 

* * * 

It was a week after the duel when Harry walked into Dumbledore's library, intending to do a bit of studying. He had been recently reading a fascinating book about large-scale castle defense, which contained many of the spells used at Hogwarts. They weren't particularly useful for combat, but he found that he enjoyed reviewing a lot of the obscure information. One could often discover interesting spells. 

As he sat down, he noticed a rather thin book lying on the table that he hadn't seen before. Curious, he reached over, bringing it closer. A chill ran down his spine as he read the simple title: "_The Unforgivable Curses_." 

He quickly pulled his hand back, just looking at the book, not wanting to even touch it. Obviously Dumbledore had left it here. Was it an accident, or did he want Harry to find it? It didn't seem like the sort of mistake Dumbledore would make, so Harry had to assume he'd wanted him to find it. 

He slowly opened the book, curiosity overcoming his reticence. He began skimming the pages, curious about what it contained. He felt himself breathing a little heavier as he noticed that it gave full, detailed instructions on how to perform each one. Part of him didn't want to know, but he couldn't help reading with a morbid fascination as the book described exactly how each one worked. 

Harry then came upon a very interesting section, which described the defense of each spell. He had already learned a considerable amount about the defense of Imperio, but it was interesting to see the information formalized. Moving onto Crucio, he discovered that the spell was extremely difficult to defend against, but the book gave some suggestions with a caveat that it was much better to not get hit with it at all. 

As he opened the last part of the book that described Avada Kedavra defense, he expected a very small sentence saying it was indefensible. He was shocked when there was a fair amount more information about it. 

_DEFENSE AGAINST AVADA KEDAVRA_  
_It is commonly thought that the Avada Kedavra curse is indefensible, but in fact, this is only partially true. To be more accurate, it is magically indefensible. There is no known shield spell that can block Avada Kedavra. However, the curse may be physically blocked. The curse is rather brittle; it will generally destroy whatever it hits, but does not require a large mass to break up the curse. The quick and clever wizard can often use Summoning spells to pull various items at hand to act as a shield._

The Ministry battle came back to Harry as he recalled Dumbledore using these tactics. He nodded slowly, thinking that it might be useful to practice summoning objects to block spells. He read on. 

_Another tactic useful for Avada Kedavra defense is that it requires a clean hit to work fully. The casting wizard generally needs to hold his wand still; any sort of sweeping motion will dilute the spell and reduce its effectiveness. For this reason, it is recommended that when facing a wizard determined to use this curse, keep in constant motion and do not allow them to hold their wand motionless aimed at you._

_One last item that is not generally known about Avada Kedavra is that not only does it take a substantial quantity of magic to make it operate, but it also has a draining effect on the wizard that casts it. Most powerful wizards can only cast it three to five times before a wait is required to recover. The wizard that casts it is more vulnerable during this time to attack._

Harry felt stunned that this information was not more widely known. The fake Mad-Eye had certainly not told them. It occurred to Harry that this might be why Dumbledore had left the book for him. He looked over at the door to Dumbledore's office. He slowly walked over and hesitated, then knocked on the door. 

The door slid open and he saw Dumbledore seated at his desk, looking at him with a solemn expression. "Come in, Harry. I've been expecting you." 

Harry moved through the door and took a seat in front of his desk. "I suppose you left me that book?" 

"Yes. I felt you were ready for that, ah, information," Dumbledore said quietly. "You may wonder why you have access to that book at all. The first reason is obvious... there is valuable defensive information in there." 

"Sir... that information about Avada Kedavra..." Harry started. 

"Yes? You found that interesting, did you?" Dumbledore said, with a slight smile. 

"We didn't learn any of those tactics in class..." Harry said. 

"That's right. Much of that defense knowledge is not generally known, except at the highest Auror levels," said Dumbledore. 

"But why?" Harry asked, a bit stunned. "A lot of that could save someone's life!" 

"You're right, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly. "And I don't necessarily agree with the reasons for keeping it secret, particularly in extreme times of dark wizardry. But there are reasons that information was restricted." 

"What possible reason could there be to restrict it?" Harry asked, growing angry. 

"Avada Kedavra is an extremely powerful curse. Remember – it's magically indefensible. It was thought that it was enough that it was Unforgivable. If no one used it, then there was no reason anyone needed to defend against it. Long ago it was felt that if people thought it was defensible, then it might be more widely used. 

"I'm certain you noticed that much of the information in my library was very useful, and you've probably wondered more than once why it was restricted," Dumbledore said. "You might even reasonably ask, why is Imperio an Unforgivable, whereas something like a memory erasure charm is not. Imperio doesn't actually harm the person, yet a memory charm is quite invasive, is it not?" 

Harry nodded. 

"Part of the Ministry's function is to ensure a stable magical society," Dumbledore explained. "Many of the decisions to restrict certain information were made long ago, for practical reasons. The Unforgivable curses didn't used to be Unforgivable, but their use undermined stability. Avada Kedavra was used in too many duels; both wizards would end up being killed. The Cruciatus Curse was used for prisoner interrogations, corrupting law enforcement. Imperio was possibly the worst for society; you could never trust whether anyone was acting under their own free will. 

"So the decision was made to make their use a highly punishable offense. These curses are the most corrupting and damaging to civilization." Dumbledore paused, allowing the thoughts to sink in. 

"Sir," Harry asked. "May I share this defensive information with... others?" 

"I will leave that decision to you, Harry," Dumbledore said. 

Harry resolved to himself that he would tell his DA members in the next meeting. As he was thinking this, Dumbledore seemed to grow very pensive. 

"There is another reason I gave you that book, Harry," Dumbledore said and paused, looking uncharacteristically hesitant. 

Harry looked at him curiously. 

"As you know, the Unforgivable Curses were authorized for use by Aurors in the last war," Dumbledore said gravely. 

Harry felt stunned at his implication. "You... you... want me to use them?" he asked in a hushed voice. 

"No. I didn't say that, and I will never say that. I hope you will never use these curses, Harry. They are corrupting and potentially very damaging to the psyche of the wizard that uses them. However, I will tell you that I did not object to the authorization of their use in the last war. 

"It is a very personal decision. No one doubts that these curses are very, very effective. You've felt the Cruciatus curse yourself and know how truly terrible it is. Myself, I have never used them and will never use them. However, I do not judge those who do use them for righteous purposes. 

"Harry," Dumbledore said, taking on a grim tone. "The stakes are high, about as high as they can be. Someday you may be faced with a decision. The use of one of these curses may make a significant difference. War is never clean or easy. Do not use them rashly or recklessly... or do not use them at all, if that is your choice. But I felt it was important that you had the option." 

Harry nodded slowly. A memory came back from the Ministry... of trying to do the Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix. He hadn't felt much guilt about it... the curse hadn't worked that well, after all. On the other hand, thinking about it, he realized he had been carefully thinking around it, not dwelling on it too much. 

He looked at Dumbledore, abruptly needing some guidance – or perhaps, some absolution. "Sir..." Harry started, his emotions welling up within him, making it difficult to say. 

"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore said, his face unreadable. 

"Sir... I... I... at the Ministry... Bellatrix..." Harry started, but was unable to continue. 

"Just because I haven't done an Unforgivable, doesn't mean I haven't done magic that was very difficult for me to deal with afterward," Dumbledore said gently. 

"I was so angry... I wanted to hurt her... but it only worked a little..." said Harry, his voice breaking. 

"You were fifteen, thrust into a situation that would be difficult for even an adult Auror," Dumbledore said. "No wizard has ever had to bear your burdens at such a young age. To be perfectly honest, I don't know what I would have done at fifteen in your place. Do you recall what I said was the most important thing you would learn here at Hogwarts?" 

"Self control," Harry said quietly. 

"Yes. Allow me to repeat myself again, Harry. Learn from this incident, but forgive yourself. They're called the Unforgivable curses, but as usual, there are exceptions to every rule," he said with a gentle smile. 

Harry blew out a breath, gaining control over himself as a great burden seemed to lift from him. Now that he had told Dumbledore, he realized how much the incident had been eating at him below the surface. 

"Thank you, sir," Harry said gratefully. 

"You're welcome," Dumbledore said kindly. 

Harry got up from his chair and prepared to leave. 

"One more thing," Dumbledore said. Harry looked back at him curiously. "Your destiny is to face Voldemort, but that doesn't mean that the support in your life is not critical to all this. You can't do this all by yourself, Harry. Accept the love from your friends and let them help share your burden. And, of course, you know that my door is always open." 

Harry stood for a moment before nodding silently, and then returned to Dumbledore's library to study. 

* * * 

Harry walked back from dinner feeling unusually reflective. As was usual these days, he had eaten dinner with Ginny, as well as Ron and Hermione, but somehow it hit him tonight how little he had seen Ron and Hermione lately. He generally saw them during meals and classes, and they often studied together, but... 

It seemed as though, during a lot of their free time, Ron and Hermione were either off doing something together, or he and Ginny were doing something together. They still played the occasional game of chess or exploding snap, but it was much less frequent than in the past. 

Somewhat disquieted without knowing quite why, he entered through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. He saw Hermione across the room, working on some homework alone at a table. 

"Hi, Hermione," Harry said, sitting down at her table. 

"Hello, Harry," she said, pushing some books aside to make room. 

"Where's Ron?" he asked. 

"Oh, he had to finish some Prefect duties. I, of course, finished them yesterday, but he put them off until the last minute," she said, rolling her eyes. "Where's Ginny?" 

"Study group. She was going to do some revision with her friends," Harry replied. 

Harry pulled out his books as Hermione went back to her homework. He began reading his chapter for Potions, but soon found his mind wandering back to the subject that had been on his mind earlier. He looked over at her, wondering if she ever thought about all the changes that had happened between them this year. 

"Hermione?" he started tentatively. 

"Yes?" she said, looking up. 

Harry found it difficult to find the words for exactly what he was feeling. 

"Is something bothering you, Harry?" she asked, putting down her quill. 

"I've just been thinking... you, Ron and I haven't been spending very much time together lately, have we? I mean, I love spending time with Ginny..." he said, trailing off. 

"But things are different now?" Hermione said. 

Harry nodded. 

"You know that we haven't gone anywhere, Harry," Hermione said gently. "We're still here for you." 

"I know. It's just that... I suppose I've just realized recently how much things have changed. It was always the three of us, and now... I mean, we're all still friends, but..." Harry said. 

"...But now there are other things in our lives that are taking our time," Hermione finished. "I know. I thought about that myself, after Ron and I started going out, even before you got together with Ginny... that the relationship among ourselves was never going to be the same. 

"I suppose this happens to all school friends, eventually," Hermione continued thoughtfully. "Even if nothing had changed, we would inevitably leave Hogwarts and start our separate lives. We can't stay the same forever." 

"Do you ever... wish it wouldn't change?" Harry asked. 

Hermione smiled at Harry compassionately. "Of course, Harry. The times I've spent here at Hogwarts have been the best times of my life. You and Ron are my best friends, and will always be my best friends, no matter where we go from here. What we've shared is extremely special. 

"I suppose change is hard for you, isn't it? After the Dursleys, and with your life finally finding some order here, it would be hard for you to give that up. But everyone has to grow up." 

Harry nodded slowly as a reflective silence grew between them. The future suddenly loomed very large; only one more year of Hogwarts, and the comfort and knowledge that he would live here would be gone. A year seemed like a long time... but the present year had flown by. Where _were _they all going to go after Hogwarts? War was coming... would he go to the Auror Academy? Where would Ron and Hermione be? 

"Can I ask you a... personal question?" Harry asked, very hesitantly. 

"Of course, Harry," Hermione said curiously. 

"Do you think that you and Ron... will get married?" he asked. 

Hermione chuckled. "Oh, Harry, I don't know. I know that I love him, and he says he loves me. It would be wonderful to be married to one of your best friends, wouldn't it? But we're all only sixteen. So much can happen between now and then." 

"I suppose I feel a little selfish about it," Harry said. "If you both got married, then it's that much easier to stay in contact with you." 

"Well, how about you, then?" Hermione asked, a bit mischievously. 

"Me what?" Harry asked. 

"Marriage, Harry. If you can ask me, then I should be able to ask you. If you married Ginny, then you would be part of the Weasley family – it makes it that much easier to stay in contact with _you_." 

Harry gulped. He'd set himself up for that. The whole idea of marriage was just... weird. If it came down to it, he couldn't imagine his future with anyone but Ginny at this particular moment, but he had no idea what would happen in the future. For some reason, Hermione's question seemed impossibly difficult to answer. 

"Do you love her?" Hermione asked at Harry's silence. 

Harry breathing hitched. "Erm... um..." he started, then finally said in a low voice, his eyes looking down, "Yes, I think so." 

Hermione cocked her head, as if a thought had just hit her. "Do you think she loves you?" 

Harry tensed up at this. He simply didn't know the answer to that. Ginny had said that she had feelings for him... for now, anyway. He had no idea how strong they were, or if they would last. "I... don't... know. I mean, maybe..." Harry said finally. 

"Harry, Ginny is _mad_ about you," Hermione said. 

"It's all so new... I mean, right now, I guess she, er, likes me..." Harry said. 

"New? Great Merlin," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. She then looked at him piercingly. "Harry, are you afraid that she'll suddenly wake up one day and realize you're not worth it?" she asked. 

His heart seized up. He hadn't wanted to think about it in those terms, but Hermione had scored a direct hit. He stayed silent, looking away a little. 

"Do you really think there's anything she doesn't know, that she hasn't considered? Do you think she doesn't know the risks?" Hermione asked. 

"I suppose she knows that... but... I know how I feel, but I... erm, I don't totally know what she feels... she's said some things..." Harry said, feeling a bit like a trapped animal. 

"Have you _told _her how _you_ feel? I mean, _really _told her?" Hermione asked. 

"Well... a little..." Harry said nervously. "I mean, doesn't she already, er, know?" 

"Think about the history, here. She can't know how you really feel, and for a long time she had feelings that weren't returned. How does she know that _you _haven't changed your mind? She needs to hear you say it once in a while." 

"You mean... say it... erm, _straight out_?" Harry asked, knowing that was exactly what she meant. 

Hermione chuckled. "Honestly, Harry. I think you'd rather face a hoard of Death Eaters rather than tell the girl you claim to love how you feel." 

Harry felt a bit shameful at that. She was right; it shouldn't be this difficult if Ginny really was important to him. He nodded at her with a sigh. "Thanks, Hermione. I'll... think about it. Think about... something... to say." 

She smiled back at him. "Good. Just say it honestly, and the rest will take care of itself." 

Hermione paused, looking reflective, then fixed Harry with a steady look. "And Harry, about the changes between us all... never doubt that, no matter what happens with Ron and me, or Ginny, or leaving Hogwarts, we will all be with you... to the end." 

* * * 

Harry wandered around his dormitory, glancing at the clock as he waited impatiently for eleven o'clock, but feeling very happy. It was his new favorite part of the week. It was late morning Saturday, and in the last month, he and Ginny had taken to eating their lunch outside. It almost felt like a little weekly anniversary gift to themselves, from the first time they had found a quiet spot after the Chamber. 

The weather had mostly cooperated with their new ritual, but last week it had drizzled, so they went to the effort of conjuring a large umbrella, and then drying the ground. It would have been a lot easier to stay in the castle, but neither one of them wanted to deny themselves their time together. 

Ginny was extremely busy these days, since OWLs were coming up fast, but they gave themselves these hours together. They had sneaked in a few visits to the kitchens, but it was difficult to squeeze those in. Harry missed her desperately during the week, mostly seeing her at the odd meals and sometimes in the common room while studying. 

Harry smiled to himself; they _had _found time to be alone with each other between studying. He actually felt a little guilty; she appeared very tired sometimes. Still, she seemed very enthusiastic to find those times with him. 

He had been thinking a lot about his conversation with Hermione. It felt incredibly difficult to give a voice to his feelings for Ginny. He wanted to believe it was somehow enough that he wanted to spend time with her, and that he... well, hopefully demonstrated how he felt when they were alone. 

But ultimately, he knew that Hermione was right. Ginny did need to hear him say... something. He had rehearsed a lot of things in his head... but they all seemed impossibly difficult. Almost... corny. Did blokes really say those... sort of things... to girls? 

He couldn't help but imagine himself saying... _something_... and then getting some sort of vague response, or perhaps even laughing at him. She had implied in the Chamber that this all meant a lot to her, but what did that really mean... what if he was pushing it along too fast. What if she wasn't ready to hear how he really felt? What if his feelings were much deeper than hers, and then he made her uncomfortable... 

Harry groaned. This was all driving him mad. But somehow, he needed to give her something. She was so important to him; he owed her that much. He would just have to see how it went today. 

Finally, at about ten minutes to eleven, he headed down to the common room. He saw Ginny waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs with a big smile. He smiled back, feeling good just seeing her there. 

"All set? Dobby heard that we've been having picnics and insisted on packing the lunch today," she said, giggling. "It's huge." She gestured toward an enormous picnic basket, looking large enough for ten people. 

"Wow," Harry said, opening up a side panel and peeking in. "I'm going to have to find a smelly sock for him." 

"That won't be difficult, if you're anything like my precious brothers," she said, rolling her eyes. 

"Mine are even worse," Harry replied, grinning. "Remember, a lot of my socks came from Uncle Vernon. I should keep some around to throw at Death Eaters; they wouldn't stand a chance." 

Ginny snickered. "Maybe we should let the Dursleys guard Azkaban now that the Dementors are gone." 

"Nah, Dementors are one thing, but subjecting the inmates to the Dursleys would be far too cruel," Harry said, picking up the picnic basket. 

Ginny laughed as they exited out the portrait hole, making Harry feel good. Since they had started going out, he felt so much better about life in general. He'd noticed that he was joking around more, not only with Ginny, but with Ron and Hermione, too. 

All of his problems were still there, and he was painfully aware of the approaching war, but somehow things felt a lot easier to deal with. Ginny never tried to pry his feelings out of him, but she always made it clear in a low-key way that he could talk to her, and he had slowly started to share more of his thoughts. It felt so good to unburden himself, and he tried to be a receptive audience to her problems as well, mostly about her school pressures. 

He actually felt a little guilty about that. It appeared that she was shouldering much more of a burden from him than he helped with her, but she actually seemed to welcome him sharing his thoughts. 

They walked out the great front doors of Hogwarts into warm sunshine. There was a slight breeze blowing with large, white puffy clouds in the brilliant blue sky. The spring rains had caused the mountains in the distance to explode in green flora, and he could see fields of bright, colorful flowers in bloom around them. Harry almost felt stunned at how beautiful everything was today. He looked over Ginny, his heart filling with feeling, happy to be able to share this kind of day with her. 

They strolled down the path toward the lake, Harry enjoying the walk as the sun reflected brightly off the blue water, the wind causing ripples across the surface. He could see birds diving down into the water, catching fish and enjoying their lunch as well. Harry saw an odd thing floating in the lake... and then realized that it was the Giant Squid floating on the surface, apparently enjoying the sunshine. He pointed out the squid to Ginny. 

"Well, he seems to have the right idea," she said, smiling. 

"Yeah, that looks nice. One of these days we should take a boat out on the lake," Harry said. 

They finally reached a spot far from the castle, a very nice location next to some trees. Ginny conjured a blanket to sit on, and Harry put down the picnic basket. She dug through and pulled out a couple of Butterbeers. 

"Dobby really outdid himself with this basket," she said appreciatively. 

"That looks good," Harry said, reaching out for his, but Ginny pulled it away teasingly. 

"Oh, _that's _what you want, is it?" she said mischievously, putting it behind her back. 

Harry laughed as he tried reach around and get it, but Ginny began running into the trees, carrying the Butterbeers and laughing. He immediately chased her, reaching out and almost getting her as she screamed, but lost her as she abruptly rounded a tree. She circled back out of the forest, running down the bank next to the lake. Harry noticed that the riverbank turned in sharply up ahead. He angled slightly away, intending to head her off when she had to turn. 

Ginny turned and saw Harry heading her off. She stopped, keeping the Butterbeers behind her back. 

"Well, Mr. Potter. Now what are you going to do?" she said challengingly, out of breath. 

Impulsively, he quickly reached down, picked her up, and threw her into the water. Ginny screamed as she hit the water with the Butterbeers. Harry stood on the bank, laughing at her. Ginny appeared back above the surface. 

"Oh, think this is funny, do you?" Ginny said angrily, with narrowed eyes. She pulled her wand. "_Tractum!_" 

Harry felt a strong pulling force. He tried to stop but was pulled into the lake next to her, falling into the water face-first with a loud splash. He stood up in the shallow lake, just in time to hear Ginny shout, "_Petrificus Totalus!_" Harry's body went stiff as a board as he bobbed in the water. Ginny then levitated him above the lake. 

"Erm, Ginny..." Harry said quickly, before being dunked hard into the water and pulled back out. 

"Yes, Harry?" she asked sweetly. She dunked him again. 

"I'm..." Harry said, as he was dunked again and again between words. "Sorry... I'm... really... really... sorry..." 

"Hmm. Have you suffered enough yet?" Ginny asked musingly, as she dunked him a few more times. "I suppose so." 

She released the petrification spell and finally let him fall into the water one last time. Harry stood up again warily, feeling like a drowned rat, shivering in the cold water. Ginny began laughing at him, Harry soon joining her, very glad she was now laughing about it. 

"I see now why Fred and George fear you," he said, grinning. "Brrr. This water is cold." 

"Really?" Ginny said, moving toward him. "I think I can take care of that..." 

She wrapped her arms around him, and they began kissing in the water, the warmth of her body creating a very exciting contrast with the cold water. They finally broke away, smiling at each other. 

As they stepped out of the water, Harry actually felt very refreshed after all the running in the warm sun. Noticing that Ginny lost the Butterbeers, Harry pulled out his wand. "_Accio Butterbeer!_" The bottles flew out of the lake and came to Harry, who grinned at Ginny. 

They cast drying spells on themselves, then walked back to the blanket, holding hands and drinking their Butterbeers, the bright sunshine feeling good on his cool skin. He glanced over at Ginny, her hair blowing in the light breeze. 

They sat down on the blanket, Harry feeling very peaceful and contented. Ginny began spreading out their lunch on the blanket. She hummed a little tune as she pulled out a seemingly endless variety of lunch items. 

Harry felt himself growing a bit more nervous as he considered what he could say to express his feelings. "It's... a really nice day today, isn't it?" Harry said. 

"Yes, it's gorgeous," Ginny said, taking a bite from a sandwich. 

_How does someone say these things? _Harry thought anxiously. He had no idea what to say, how to put his feelings into words. He decided to try and sneak up on the idea, if that was possible. 

"Remember over the summer when we flew through the forest? I really... really... had fun that day," Harry said, hoping she would somehow make the leap that it was she who made it special. 

Ginny giggled. "Well, frustrating and fun." 

"Frustrating?" Harry said, blinking at her. 

"You don't know how I wanted to grab you and kiss you when you... well, fell on me," Ginny said, looking at him with a smile. 

"I... don't think I would have objected," Harry said with a small smile in return. 

"Well, _now _you tell me," she said, chuckling. "We could have saved a lot of time." 

Harry looked out over the lake, seeing an owl flying into the sky carrying some sort of package. He idly wondered where it was going as he tried to think of some way to give voice to his feelings... 

"It's going to be summer again, soon," Harry said, thinking of the previous summer 

"Yeah... this year has been busy, hasn't it?" said Ginny, looking reflective. 

"I 'spose I'll have to go to the Dursley's one last time," he said glumly. "I'm... really, really going to miss you." _That was good, Potter. That tells her how you feel a little bit, _he thought, proud of himself. 

Ginny smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I'll write to you every day. I'm positive Professor Dumbledore will let us see each other soon." 

"I'll write to you, too," he said. "Not that I have much else to do at the Dursleys, unless Uncle Vernon tries to give me another summer job." 

"Summer job?" she said suspiciously. 

"I guess I never told anyone... just before I was about to leave, he tried to make me take a Muggle job cleaning these huge smelting pots. Knowing him, there was probably a good chance of the job being fatal." 

Ginny snickered and looked at him affectionately. "I'm really going to miss you, too," she said. 

Harry smiled, not believing that he'd really said enough, but happy that he'd said something. He felt so peaceful today; it was hard to get really anxious about anything. 

Glancing at her hair on her shoulder, Ginny noticed that it was a bit stringy from being in the water. She pulled out a brush from the basket and began brushing her hair. Harry watched the process, her long, red hair gleaming in the sunshine... 

Harry gazed at her, mesmerized, the scene was so idyllic... the wind blew through the trees, rustling the branches and leaves, cooling his skin against the warm contrast of the sun... time seemed to slow as his mind drifted away... her hair looked so lovely, being brushed like that... a flock of birds flew across the sky... he could see her freckles on her face, also running along her neck... she was so beautiful... 

"I love you, Ginny..." Harry whispered. 

Ginny froze. She turned to him and blinked, her hair brush falling out of her hand. "What did you say?" she asked in a whisper. 

Harry breathing suddenly seized up as he realized what he'd said... he hardly even meant to say it out loud... somehow it had just slipped out, he didn't think... 

"I'm sorry!" he said, feeling panicked and looking away. "I... I... I..." 

Ginny moved closer to him, looking utterly shocked as she sat next to him on the blanket. She raised her hand, cupping Harry's face. "Please don't be sorry..." she said with a smile, some tears in her eyes. 

Harry looked down. "I'm... not really sorry," he responded in a low voice, unable to look at her. 

She turned his face back to her and gazed deeply into his eyes. "I love you so much, Harry." 

Harry heart began thudding as a shiver went down his spine at those words. "Really?" he whispered. "I mean, you don't have to say it, just because I said it..." 

"I _love _you, Harry," she said again, with emphasis. 

Harry closed his eyes, feeling emotional, letting her words echo in his head. Could she really mean it? It seemed so odd hearing those words... 

He felt Ginny embrace him tightly, stroking his back and hair. "I've wanted to tell you that," she whispered. "but... I didn't know, you know, how you really felt... and I didn't want to put that kind of pressure on you..." 

They pulled back and gazed into each other's eyes. He loved her eyes; they were so bright and expressive. They came together for a long, slow kiss, and then broke apart. He sighed, feeling a burden released. Somehow he had managed to say what he needed to say, and miraculously, Ginny had returned all his feelings and them some. 

He laid down on the blanket, pulling Ginny alongside of him as she rested her head on his shoulder, cradled by his arm. They looked up into the sky as small, puffy clouds floated in the deep blue. Everything was so quiet; he could hear birds chirping in the trees and water lapping on the bank of the lake. 

"It's so nice here," he whispered, feeling loved and at peace. 

Ginny turned and kissed his cheek, burrowing closer to him as she sighed in agreement. 

"I wish... my parents could have known you. I wish I could bring you home to them..." he said. "I know they would have loved you, too." 

Ginny pulled his hand into hers, holding it on her stomach, stroking the top as she just listened. 

"I'm glad that Sirius knew you, at least, even if we weren't... together then. I know he would be happy for us. And Remus knows... I guess I didn't really tell you this, but..." Harry stopped, feeling a little embarrassed. Ginny stayed silent, letting him find the words. Harry was grateful that he wasn't looking directly at her; somehow that made it easier, looking up at the sky. "Well, after the Daily Prophet story... he's the closest thing to my family now... and... I guess I wanted to tell someone... connected... to my parents. 

"I've been writing to him this year... anyway, he owled back and said... my parents would be very proud of, erm, my choice in girlfriends." Harry stopped again. "I guess... I should have told you this before... I don't know why I didn't." 

Ginny continued stroking his hand. 

"I suppose I'm just not used to... sharing things like that, at least before, but now... I don't... want to, erm, hide... those sort of things... from you anymore," he finished awkwardly. 

"It's all right, Harry," Ginny said gently. "I don't expect you to overcome a lifetime of holding everything inside overnight. But I want you to know that I appreciate that you've been sharing more things lately." 

Harry nodded. "And... did you know that Dumbledore has a secret library? Well, of course you don't... nobody knows. Ron, Hermione and I have been studying in there this year. There is a lot of... information in there. Important information. I want you to come, too... so you'll be... prepared." 

Ginny nodded. "I'd been wondering where you three disappeared to so much of the time this year." 

There was a long silence as they both watched clouds float by in the sky. Harry's thoughts drifted, remembering Sirius... he idly wondered what had happened with the inheritance. He presumed that Lucius Malfoy must have been unsuccessful, otherwise Remus would have mentioned something. He hadn't thought about that since his birthday party... suddenly, another thought rose in his mind, causing excitement to build in him... 

"Ginny!" he said. The thought seemed to fill every corner of his head. It was so obvious... 

"What?" she said, a little startled at his suddenness. 

Harry felt stunned as he replied, "I think I know where Sirius's diary is." 

* * * 

_A/N: New, improved thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Now with crackling thankful goodness! Reviewers are unbelievably cool people, aren't they?_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	31. Chapter 30 Sirius's Diary

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 30: Sirius's Diary_

_Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Harry couldn't believe he hadn't remembered it before. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that he knew where to find Sirius's diary. 

Ginny turned to him. "Where do you think it is?" she asked curiously. 

He paused, just relishing the thought, turning it over in his head. "When Remus had me sign the inheritance documents for Sirius's estate, he told me that a vault had been set up with my share of the assets. In fact, I received an owl earlier this year with some documents and a key. I bet that that a lot of Sirius's private items were stored in his vault during his stay at Azkaban. I mean, where else would they go? It must have been put in either my or Remus's vault." 

Ginny appeared thoughtful as she considered the matter. "That makes sense. I think I've heard dad say that oftentimes when people are sent to Azkaban for a long stay, their belongings are picked up and put into the owner's vault, if they have one." 

Harry sat up. "When can we go? You'll come with me, won't you?" he said excitedly. 

"Of course, Harry," she said, smiling. "I suppose we'll have to talk to Professor McGonagall and see if we can get permission to leave the school." 

"We'll have to talk to Remus, too... it might be in his vault," Harry said. "He didn't say whether he'd looked at all of Sirius's possessions in his own vault. Tomorrow's Sunday... how about tomorrow? Oh wait... banks aren't open on Sunday." 

Ginny looked surprised. "Gringotts is open all the time. Aren't Muggle banks?" 

"No... Gringotts is always open?" Harry asked. 

"You know goblins... always obsessed with money," Ginny said with a grin. "Anyway, I don't see why we can't go tomorrow." 

"I know it's there. It _has _to be there," Harry said fervently. 

"I think it might be there, too, Harry, but don't set yourself up for a big disappointment if it's not," Ginny said gently. 

Harry looked at her and nodded. "You're right. Best not to get myself worked up about it. But..." 

"I know. We'll just have to see how it goes," she said, squeezing his hand. Suddenly she laughed. "Quite the big day, today, isn't it? Big love confessions, big diary revelations, big lunches..." 

Harry laughed in response. "Come to think of it, I haven't eaten anything yet. I'm starving. I suppose big confessions build up my appetite." He eyed the wide variety of food, trying to decide what he wanted. 

"And don't think you're going to get away with saying – _it – _once and then never again, Mr. Potter," Ginny said teasingly. 

"Saying what?" Harry said innocently, taking a bite of a chicken leg. 

Ginny's eyes narrowed and then she punched his arm. "Harry..." she said threateningly. 

"I'm just kidding!" he said quickly. 

"Hmph," she said, turning away and crossing her arms. 

Harry leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry..." he said, chuckling. 

"I need a more sincere apology than that," she said, trying to be cold, but her face was fighting a smile. 

Harry grinned as he was reminded of when he'd teased her about the romance book last summer. That seemed so long ago... "Okay, how about this..." he said into her ear. 

He put down his food and then moved around in front of her, taking both of her hands in his. He leaned in, looked straight into her eyes, and said in a low, sincere voice, "Ginny, I am very, very sorry I teased you about saying..." He paused, and then whispered, "I love you." 

Ginny's breath hitched as she gazed back at him. 

"Was that good enough, Miss Weasley?" he whispered, with a smile. 

"Um, yes. That was much better," she said, swallowing. "That... that will hold me for quite some time, I think." 

Harry started to turn back to lunch, but suddenly Ginny pulled her hands back from his, threw her arms around him, and began kissing him passionately. As they fell back on the blanket, thoughts of lunch left his head as he vaguely made a mental note to tell Ginny how he felt more often if this was going to be the reaction. 

* * * 

As they walked back to the castle, Harry couldn't help hurrying a bit. He felt extremely excited about the possibility of finding Sirius's diary, and couldn't wait to start making plans. 

"My goodness, Harry, it's been there for over a decade, it'll stay a few hours more," Ginny said, as they ran up the castle steps. 

"Come on, let's find Ron and Hermione," Harry said, grinning at her. 

They burst into the Gryffindor common room, Harry spotting Ron and Hermione playing chess in a corner. 

"Ron! Hermione! I think I know where Sirius's diary is," he said, a bit out of breath. 

"What? Where?" Ron said, looking surprised. Even the chess pieces looked up with an expression of shock. 

"Gringotts. Sirius's assets were divided between Remus and me. The diary has to be in one of our vaults," he said. 

"I suppose it's possible," Hermione said thoughtfully. 

"Ginny and I were talking about going tomorrow, if we can get permission from McGonagall. Will you come with me?" 

"Trip to Diagon Alley?" Ron said, growing excited. "Are you kidding?" 

"Ron," Hermione said warningly. "I think we'll be more likely to get permission if it doesn't sound as though we're going on some holiday excursion." 

Ron's face fell. "Er, I was just thinking... maybe lunch... and, er, dropping into Quality Quidditch Supplies..." Ron's voice faded as Hermione glared at him. "Um, but maybe we should play it by ear after taking care of business at Gringotts." 

Harry and Ginny sneaked an amused glance at each other. "Come on, let's go see McGonagall," Harry said. 

They all got up and exited out the portrait hole, Harry hoping that McGonagall would allow them to travel there. He felt a knot of nervousness as they approached her office door. He hoped she was there; it was Saturday, so there was no guarantee. 

Harry glanced at everyone, then knocked softly on the door. 

"Enter," came a crisp reply. Harry pushed open the door, and saw Professor McGonagall at her desk, surrounded by a large pile of paper. 

"Mr. Potter," she said, slightly surprised. "And Miss Granger, Miss Weasley and Mr. Weasley as well. From your expression, Mr. Potter, I would expect this is a matter of some urgency." 

Harry smiled nervously. "Erm, not... _that_ sort of urgency, Professor." 

McGonagall's mouth twitched slightly. "Good. Well, then, what can I do for you?" 

Suddenly the whole thing felt like a very trivial request, that McGonagall wouldn't possibly be able to understand. "Well, you see, Professor..." he began nervously. "Over... over Christmas, when I stayed at Grimmauld Place, I found a letter that mentioned a diary – a diary that Sirius used to keep." 

"I see," McGonagall said, lacing her fingers together on the desk. 

"We searched the house, but never found it. But – I remembered today – there is a vault at Gringotts that has my share of the inheritance. I think the diary might be there," Harry finished. 

McGonagall looked at him with something like compassion. "And you wish permission to leave the school and check, is that the rub?" she said. 

"Yes, Professor," Harry said. 

She frowned. "I'm afraid that's a bit more difficult these days, Mr. Potter." 

Harry's heart sank. "Difficult?" he said. 

"We have some... reports... of increased Death Eater activity over the last few months. Travel is becoming increasingly dangerous," she said. 

"I forgot!" Harry said abruptly. "We need Remus – erm, I mean, Professor Lupin... he has a vault as well. The diary may be there, too... what if he was willing to come with us?" 

McGonagall appeared very hesitant. "Let me speak to Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Potter. Please wait outside." 

They all got up and exited the office, closing the door. Harry stood nervously, wondering what they were discussing. After what seemed like an eternity, McGonagall called them back into the office. 

"Well, Mr. Potter, both of us have our reservations about this, but we recognize that this is important to you," she said. "If Professor Lupin agrees to escort you and your friends, then you may go." 

"Thank you, Professor! May I use your floo to ask him right now?" asked Harry. 

McGonagall looked amused. "Be my guest," she said, gesturing toward her fireplace. 

Harry got up from his chair and moved to the fireplace where he saw a small box on the mantle. He picked up the container and pulled out some floo powder, then stuck his head into the grate. He threw the powder onto the logs, which immediately ignited into emerald green flames. 

"Number twelve, Grimmauld Place," Harry said clearly and loudly. 

He had a sensation of his head flying through the flames, and then found himself gazing out the kitchen fireplace at Grimmauld Place. The kitchen was empty, so he called out. 

"Hello?" a voice said. Remus came strolling into the kitchen and then appeared surprised as he saw Harry poking out. 

"Harry! What a surprise," he said, then an expression of worry crossed his face. "Is anything wrong?" 

"No! Everything is fine," Harry said. "I just... have a favor to ask." 

"Of course, Harry. What can I do for you?" Lupin said, much more relaxed as he sat down at the kitchen table. 

"Sirius's diary... I think I know where it is. I think it might be in one of our vaults at Gringotts," Harry said. 

Lupin looked thoughtful. "An interesting thought, Harry. I have to tell you that I'm certain that it's not in my vault; my share of the inheritance was only currency. But your vault is Sirius's old vault. The assets were divided by the goblins; I would assume they would have only divided valuables and left anything else. So it's very possible his diary is there. I should have thought of that myself over Christmas." 

Harry nodded. "Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore are willing to allow Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I to go to Gringotts to check... if you were willing to escort us..." said Harry. 

"Of course, Harry. When would you like to go?" said Lupin, smiling. 

"I know it's short notice, but perhaps... tomorrow?" Harry said tentatively. 

Lupin chuckled. "I understand. I think I can arrange that. Shall I pick you up at Hogwarts, and we can all travel via Knight Bus? Perhaps we can even have lunch." 

"That would be fantastic!" Harry said excitedly. "Thank you so much." 

"You're welcome, Harry. I'll be at the castle around ten," Lupin said. 

"That sounds fine," Harry said. "I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again, Remus." 

"Not at all. A trip to Diagon Alley sounds like a pleasant diversion, actually." 

Harry said goodbye and pulled his head out of the fireplace. Professor McGonagall and the others looked at him expectantly. "He'll be here tomorrow at ten o'clock," Harry said, feeling very excited. "Thank you, Professor." 

"Just be careful, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall sternly as they all got up to leave. 

* * * 

It was gray and overcast the next day as Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione waited on the steps of Hogwarts. Harry had been watching the clock all morning; the hands seeming to move agonizingly slowly. Ginny had been sneaking in some revision before they left, so Harry played chess with Ron while they waited, but his mind wasn't on the game at all. Finally the time had arrived, and they went down to wait for Lupin. 

At a few minutes after ten, Harry searched down the road impatiently. 

"Relax, Harry," Ginny said soothingly. "He'll be here soon." 

"Yeah, you're right," Harry said glumly as he sat down on the steps, resting his head on his hands. 

"Can't wait," Ron said excitedly. "I'm certain he'll let us swing by the broom shop." 

"Ron..." Hermione said warningly. 

"What? McGonagall already said we can go," Ron said happily. "No reason we can't have a few side excursions." 

"It's up to Professor Lupin. Let's not plan on using up more of his time than we have to," Hermione said. 

"But... but he said he _wanted_ to go, right, Harry?" Ron said, looking for support. 

Harry chuckled. "He said it sounded like a 'pleasant diversion' and that he wanted to go to lunch. That's all I know." 

"Maybe he could leave us there, and we could head back later on this afternoon, so he wouldn't have to wait... around... for... us," Ron said, trailing off at Hermione's glare. 

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other, snickering at the two of them. 

"Ron, what did Professor McGonagall say? Death Eater activity? Do the words 'be careful' ring any bells?" Hermione said, crossing her arms at him 

Ron cleared his throat. "Er, on the other hand, McGonagall might not be too pleased if we went wandering off, I suppose." 

Hermione nodded at him and smiled, uncrossing her arms. She kissed his cheek. "That's better. Well, perhaps we can _ask _Professor Lupin _politely_, and if he has time, we can visit the broom shop." 

Ron appeared happy at that. Harry couldn't help but notice with amusement how much Ron resembled Mr. Weasley under Mrs. Weasley's glare. 

Harry glanced back up the road, and saw a lone figure walking toward the castle. "There he is!" 

They all stood up, squinting into the distance, and then began marching down the steps to meet him. At about halfway up the road, they met and greeted each other, and began striding the other way up the road. 

"Well, Harry, I have to admit I'm intrigued as well about what's in that vault," Lupin said conversationally. 

"Do you think there might be other things in there?" asked Harry. 

"One never knows with Sirius," Lupin said, chuckling. "He was the sort that might hang onto something trivial forever, yet give away something valuable. I wouldn't be surprised to find some odd bric-a-brac lurking in the vault." 

They finally reached the outer limits of the Hogwarts grounds. Lupin raised his wand, and not long afterward the Knight Bus appeared, just in time as some drizzle began coming down. 

They climbed aboard and the bus immediately took off, causing the five of them to dive toward some untaken chairs, trying to hold on to anything in reach. After what seemed like an even more frightening ride than usual, they finally arrived at Gringotts. 

"I doubt even a trip to Diagon Alley is worth riding on that thing," Ron said with a shudder as they exited the bus. 

They all laughed as they walked up the white stone steps toward the main entrance. They went through the bronze doors, the usual uniformed goblin giving them a formal bow. Entering through the silver doors into the grand marble hall, Harry felt very jumpy, just wanting to get inside and see what they would find in the vault. As they moved through the lobby, there appeared to be even more security than last time. Very tough-looking goblins were stationed every few feet with suspicious glares pasted on all their faces. 

Harry picked the nearest unoccupied goblin, working at a desk. "Hello, I'd like to access my vault, please," he said politely. 

The goblin glanced up at him, his eyes drawn up to Harry's forehead before moving back down. "Do you have your key, sir?" he said 

Harry dug through his pockets, finally finding the key to the vault, and then handed it to the goblin. 

He seemed to make a show of inspecting the key, as if it was some sort of forgery created to rob the place. Finally he appeared to be satisfied and nodded reluctantly. He turned around and called to another goblin. "Millrack!" 

The goblin came over and eyed the four. "Come this way," Millrack said. 

They all followed him over to a strange podium that Harry had never seen before, which had a green, glowing box on it. "Please surrender your wands for measurement," he said. 

"What is this about?" asked Lupin. 

The goblin glared at Lupin rudely. He paused, appearing to decide whether to kick them all out. Finally, he said, "New security regulations. All wand signatures must be measured and recorded." 

Harry looked at Lupin, who shrugged as he pulled out his wand. They all followed his lead and placed their wands on the strange podium. Millrack picked up Harry's wand and held it over the box. He peered into the glow, which seemed to indicate something to him as he nodded. 

"Holly, eleven inches, phoenix feather core," he said, writing down the measurements in a journal on the podium. He measured each of the wands in turn, handing each one back as he completed his task. 

Millrack led them to a door off the great hall. They traveled down a stone corridor lit with torches to a small cart, used for accessing the vaults. As they started to climb on board, another goblin with a long gray beard came up and spoke to Millrack in a strange language that Harry didn't understand. They appeared to reach an agreement as the gray bearded goblin took over the rail car. 

They took off down the tracks, the cart seeming to fly through the tight tunnels. Harry glanced over at Ginny, who smiled at him and took his hand. He felt incredibly thrilled that they were almost there, he could almost smell the diary somehow... he knew it just _had _to be in there... 

As they flew over a deep, apparently bottomless canyon, Hermione gazed around in wonderment. "This is amazing! I mean, I'd heard that they had this huge underground vault system, but I haven't seen it before." 

Deeper and deeper into the earth they went. The trip seemed to be taking much longer than was usual for Harry's vault. He glanced at Lupin, who appeared slightly confused. 

"Pardon me, but are you certain this is the correct way?" asked Lupin. "The vault in question is one that belonged previously to Sirius Black. It's been some time since I've seen it, but I'm convinced the way was different than this." 

"Yes, quite certain," the goblin said, not bothering to look at Lupin. "The vault has been moved." 

Lupin didn't appear quite satisfied at this explanation, but sat back, waiting patiently. Harry wondered exactly what was going on; apparently Lupin had been in Sirius's vault in the past, and knew this wasn't the way. Harry supposed that it was possible the goblins had moved everything... 

Abruptly they lurched off the regular railway and the car appeared to roll along an invisible track, suspended above an immense cavern. Lupin looked at the goblin with furrowed eyebrows. The goblin glanced back, apparently noticing Lupin questioning his path once again. 

"We're almost there," he said brusquely. 

Harry noticed that there were traveling toward a rock face. "We're going to hit the wall of the cavern!" he said, in a panic. 

They flew through the rock face, just like platform nine and three-quarters, as they went plummeting into a dimly lit tunnel in the rock. 

"I demand to know where we are," Lupin said sharply, clearly unnerved by the path they had taken. His wand seemed to snap into his hand of its own accord. 

An oily smile grew across the goblin's face as they slowed and stopped at a station. "Of course, sir. The vault is right over here. We're in a new section of Gringotts that you may not have been to previously. I apologize for not making that clear up front." 

Lupin looked around the cavern. "This doesn't look like any sort of vault storage," he said. Harry tensed up, sensing trouble as he began to reach for his own wand... 

Suddenly the goblin pulled out a white, glowing ball... 

"Run!" Lupin shouted, but the five were still in the cart and had nowhere to go. The goblin threw himself out of the car as he tossed the ball into the passenger area. Lupin began to shout a spell, but it was too late. Harry saw a flash of white light... 

* * * 

Harry slowly awoke, trying to remember where he was. He was lying on a dirt floor in a very dim, dank room. He rolled over onto his back, looking up at a rough, rocky ceiling. Abruptly it all came back to him... the goblin had stunned them... 

He quickly sat up, but grew very dizzy and flopped back to the ground, letting out a moan. He heard some feet shuffle... somewhere. He laid still until the dizziness went away. 

A thrill of fear went through him as reached for his wand... and found that it was missing. He closed his eyes tightly. What was going on? Clearly the goblin had led them into a trap... was he in league with the goblin cult that had attacked the Burrow? Was Voldemort involved in this somehow? 

He tried to sit up again, much more slowly this time. He staggered to his feet, stumbling around and finally stabilizing himself by leaning against the wall. Harry looked around the room; he was in some sort of holding cell about ten feet by fifteen feet, with a thick wooden door containing a small one foot-by-one foot barred window. The only illumination was the light coming in through the door. He wondered how long he had been unconscious. 

He moved to the door, peering out the window. He saw a goblin outside, apparently his guard. "Hey! Why are you holding me here?" Harry asked. 

The goblin laughed at him contemptuously. "Why do you think, scarhead? Go sit and be silent. You will learn more soon enough." 

"Where are my friends?" Harry asked more aggressively, but the guard turned his back to him, obviously done with the conversation. Harry rattled the door, but it had a large lock that obviously wasn't about to be broken. He moved away from the door, inspecting the room, wondering if there was a way out. That idea was quickly squashed as he noticed that the room appeared to be carved out of rock. 

Having a thought, he walked back to the door. "I have to go to the bathroom," he said, in as innocent a voice as he could muster. 

The goblin smirked at him. "Nice try. Look at the back of the cell. You'll see a hole. Do your business into that." 

Harry glanced back into the dim cell, barely making out a small hole with a grate over it. He stalked back into the cell and sat down angrily, trying to figure out what he could do, but feeling helpless. How could he have let himself be captured so easily? Granted, they weren't exactly expecting something to happen in the middle of Gringotts... but he couldn't help thinking that he should have known somehow. 

His anger at his situation abruptly turned to fear for his friends. Where were they? Were they still alive? _Please, please, let them be alive, _Harry thought anxiously. He didn't know what he would do if they got killed because of him. 

He climbed back to his feet, feeling too anxious and worried to sit down. He paced the cell, trying to will his brain to think of something... 

Hearing footsteps outside his cell, he hurried over to the window. A goblin was walking down the stone corridor, his footsteps echoing ominously. He was followed by two other goblins, all of them smiling with an expression that appeared all too pleased. Harry peered closely at the first goblin, who seemed to be the leader of the group. In fact, he looked familiar... he looked like... 

"Garnak!" Harry said, utterly stunned. 

"Well, Mr. Potter. I see that you're awake. I hope your stay has been... comfortable?" he said with a sneer. The other goblins laughed riotously at this. 

"But... you took me to Ragnok..." Harry said. 

More laughter greeted this statement. "Shocked, are you?" said Garnak, amused. "Minister Ragnok's right hand man, capturing Harry Potter? Ragnok is a fool. He would have us kiss the arse of the wizarding community, but some of us have greater plans for the goblins to take our rightful place." 

"You believe what Voldemort tells you?" Harry said coldly. "And you call Ragnok a fool?" 

Harry expected this to annoy Garnak, but he just laughed instead. "Goblins trust no one. We have several thousands of years of history demonstrating the treachery of wizards." 

"You're planning on betraying Voldemort?" Harry asked incredulously. 

Garnak didn't answer, but said instead, "At this particular moment, we are doing the Dark Lord a favor. Giving him a little gift, shall we say." High pitched goblin laughter echoed down the stone corridor. 

"Professor Dumbledore knows that we're here," Harry said, feeling a little desperate. 

"Please, credit us with some intelligence," Garnak said arrogantly. "The Dark Lord supplied us with Polyjuice potion. It was a simple matter to take samples of each one of you. Many, many witnesses saw you leave Gringotts, and then, amusingly enough, saw you get attacked and captured. Dumbledore knows that you are missing, but believes you have been taken far away." 

Harry fell silent, wanting to argue further, but running out of arguments. 

"Now then, the Dark Lord is on his way. He is dying to see you again," Garnak said with a smirk. Loud laughter again greeted his statement. "And just to make certain you know there is no hope..." 

Garnak's face twisted into a toothy smile as he pulled out five wands. Harry sucked in a breath as his heart began thudding... if he could just get his wand... 

Harry's heart then felt like it came to a dead halt as Garnak suddenly snapped all five wands in half. 

* * * 

Ginny glanced over at Lupin, annoyed at how calm he seemed to be with the whole situation. She and Ron were pacing like caged tigers, while Hermione stood against the wall, looking lost in thought. 

After they had awoken in the cell, Lupin had immediately tried to Disapparate, but not surprisingly, it hadn't worked. He had then tried to talk to the guard, but the goblin may as well have been deaf for all the reaction he made. Finally, Lupin had sighed and sat against the wall. 

Ginny felt like strangling someone as she worried about what had happened to Harry. Why had they put him into a separate cell? There didn't seem to be any answers. 

"How you can you just sit there?" she asked Lupin angrily. 

Lupin looked up at her. "There is nothing more we can do at the moment." 

"What about Harry? What are we going to _do_?" she demanded. 

"Ginny, take it easy..." Ron started. 

"_What?_ He was supposed to protect us! And look what happened!" Ginny shouted, her frustration with the situation and her worry about Harry spilling over. 

"Ginny!" Hermione said, shocked at her behavior. "It's not his fault! How could he know that the goblins were going to capture us? 

"It's all right, Hermione," Lupin said quietly. "She's right. I _was _supposed to protect all of you. And believe me, after this is over, I will feel terrible. But at the moment, I think it's best that we keep our wits about us if we want to survive." 

Ginny suddenly felt very guilty. Lupin was right; it didn't help to start throwing around accusations. "I'm... I'm sorry. It's just..." she said, fighting back tears of worry about Harry. 

Hermione went over and embraced her. "I know," Hermione said quietly. "I'm afraid for him, too." 

Ron walked over to the door, looking frustrated. He peered out the window, glaring at the goblin guard. "Hey, ugly. You can't be stupid enough to think no one is going to come for us." 

Ginny and Hermione released each other, Ginny feeling a little better. She moved over next to Ron and peeked out the window. The goblin was sitting on a chair, continuing to ignore them. 

"Can't you at least tell us why you're doing this?" Ron asked, aggravated. "Goblins are supposed to be on good terms with wizards." 

The goblin made a tiny snorting sound. Lupin glanced up, hearing the sound. He rose to his feet and moved over to the window as well. Hermione curiously followed, as Ginny moved away a bit so Lupin could look out. 

"I assume you're a rogue bunch, separate from the legitimate government under Ragnok," Lupin said. It wasn't a question. 

The goblin appeared very irritated at this, but continued to stay silent. 

"Are you not concerned that you'll be seen as traitors to your fellow goblins?" Lupin asked. 

The goblin's long fingers opened and closed into fists, as if he was struggling with himself. Finally, he spat, "Keep silent or you will regret it. We are not _traitors._" 

"Pardon me," Lupin said politely. "I asked if you would be seen as traitors by other goblins." 

"They will see us as heroes... eventually," the goblin replied, looking extremely reluctant to be talking at all. 

"Am I to assume that you are in league with Voldemort, then?" Lupin asked. 

The goblin chuckled. "You will soon find out. Along with your precious _Potter_." 

_Good, Harry must be alive, then, _Ginny thought with great relief. 

"Voldemort will not give you what you want," Lupin said quietly. 

"What do you know of what we want?" the goblin asked contemptuously, growing angry. "You're a _wizard_. Need I remind you that the Dark Lord is one of _you? _And you dare to presume to understand..." The goblin stopped abruptly. 

"You don't have to do this," Lupin said. "Whatever it is you want, the Ministry..." 

The goblin cut him off. "Do not lecture me about what you know little about. Do you think this is about changing a few laws? This is about the fall of wizarding society. This is about the fall of _human _society. The world is changing, and it all begins here with the death of Harry Potter." 

The goblin abruptly turned away fiercely and would say no more. 

* * * 

Harry sat against the wall in his cell, feeling as though he was already dead. _Some world saver I am, _he thought despondently. He had just thrown away everything because he had wanted a stupid diary. He had no chance to survive without a wand against Voldemort. The only question was how painful he would make his death. 

His friends were probably already dead, and he would soon join them. Images of Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Lupin rose in his head as a terrible pain filled him over their death. 

But somehow an even bigger emotion filled him than even the pain of losing them... he felt an awful shame. The prophecy said that he was 'the one' with the power to defeat Voldemort, so he had just doomed everyone. The Weasleys, Dumbledore... everyone, really... he had let them all down. All of his studying, all of his practicing, it all meant absolutely nothing. 

Harry brooded over these gloomy thoughts until some time later, when he heard footsteps again echoing down the corridor. He didn't rise; they were probably just there to take him to Voldemort. He considered some sort of plan, to try and fight back... but what chance did he have without a wand? But it was his only shot... he considered his options... 

He heard two goblins talking outside in low voices. There was a pause, then a loud thump came from outside. Harry looked up... it almost sounded like a body hitting the ground... 

The door unlocked and opened with a creaking sound. Garnak hurried into the room, looking very worried. 

"Ah, Mr. Potter," he said. "Please get up, we haven't much time." 

Harry scrambled to his feet. Peering out the door, he noticed that his other guard was on the ground. "What's going on?" he asked, very confused. 

"Listen closely. I am a spy. I infiltrated this organization in order to learn more about Voldemort's plans. We are currently under Gringotts in a network of caverns, but no one knows exactly where it is," said Garnak. 

"But... how did we get here in the first place?" Harry asked. 

"Voldemort set up a magic gateway. It's a bit like a Portkey, but you pass through a large bay and appear elsewhere. It's useful for moving large amounts of material. These caverns themselves have been shielded with unplottable spells. Fortunately, the space is too big for a Fidelius Charm, or it would have been impossible to find. Ragnok has been searching for the last year to attempt to find them," he explained. 

"But why... what's here..." Harry started, but Garnak cut him off. 

"Do not ask questions! There's no time to explain, and even if there was time, I cannot tell you. I am under a secrecy spell, which is why I cannot even tell Minister Ragnok. The secrets must be found by an outsider. 

"What's important is that you _must escape this place_. If you can find a path back to the regular chambers, while invoking a mapping charm, that will break the unplottable spell and Ragnok can send help," he finished. 

Harry ran his hands through his hair, trying to keep up. Suddenly a feeling of hope surged through him... "My friends! They're still alive?" he asked, barely daring to ask. 

"Yes, yes, they are unharmed," Garnak said impatiently. 

A thrill of relief ran through him, but tempered with some fear. They weren't safe yet, for a very good reason. Harry began growing angry. "If you wanted me to escape, you might have not broken my bloody wand!" 

"Gah!" Garnak said, blowing out an irritated breath. "You wizards have no subtlety. I'm not a fool, Potter." He reached into a hidden pocket along side of his trousers, pulled out a handful of wands, and handed them to a wide-eyed Harry. "I pulled the records of your wands that were recorded when you came into Gringotts and had fake wands quickly transfigured into the correct size and wood. I had to convince... others... that you would be no threat." 

Harry quickly pulled his wand out from the batch, clutching at it tightly in both hands. He felt naked without it, and having it again made him feel much more confident about the situation. 

"So how are we supposed to get out?" Harry asked. 

"Have you been listening, Potter?" Garnak said, aggravated. "I have no idea. I use the main entrance. Do you think I've crawled these caverns?" 

"What's going to happen to you? Won't they know it was you that let me out?" said Harry. 

"I told the others that I was going to bring you personally to Voldemort. When you don't show up, he will be... angry," Garnak said, looking fearful for the first time. He fixed Harry with a steady look. "Either we all die, and nothing matters anyway, or you will succeed, and this place will be revealed, and I don't have to maintain this charade any longer. Either way, there was no reason to keep myself hidden any longer." 

Harry nodded. "Right then. Where are my friends?" 

"Come with me," Garnak said, leading him out the door. The cell was one of many along into a tunnel carved into the rock, with torches along the rough, craggy walls. "Down that direction, the tunnel will open to a larger cavern with many tunnels. Take the first tunnel on your right." 

"Thanks," Harry said and began striding away, but Garnak stopped him. 

"One more thing. The tunnel on the left leads to a large chamber. That is where I was to take you. That is where Voldemort will be waiting," he said warningly. "I don't believe that he has arrived yet. Once he arrives, I don't know how long he will wait until he grows suspicious and looks for you. Good luck, Potter." 

Harry set off, cautiously holding his wand out in front him, looking for any sort of movement. He would feel much better when everyone was together once again. He reached the end of the tunnel, which opened into a large, circular chamber with rough walls and a high ceiling, about thirty feet high. Eight tunnels led away from the chamber, and along the base of the walls were small grates. Torches lined the walls, brightly lighting the chamber. 

He warily eyed the tunnel to the left, then cautiously moved to the tunnel to the right, peeking around the corner. He saw a goblin far down the way, sitting in a chair and looking rather bored. 

Taking careful aim, he cast, "_Stupefy!_" The spell hit the goblin dead center, and he fell over into a heap. 

Harry ran down the corridor to the goblin, who was next to a cell. He peeked through the bars and his heart soared as he saw his friends. "_Alohomora!_" he cast, unlocking the door. 

"Harry!" Ginny and Hermione screamed simultaneously, but Ginny beat her to him, running over and throwing herself into his arms. Harry embraced her tightly. Hermione hugged the two of them, and Ron ran over and started beating his back for all he was worth. Lupin climbed to his feet, watching the four of them with a broad smile. 

"Good to see you, Harry," Lupin said. 

Finally everyone released Harry, and he was so happy that he almost forgot for a second how much trouble they were all still in. 

"Listen, we're not out of the woods yet," Harry said, and then gave them a quick rundown of what Garnak had told him, and handed back all their wands. 

"How the bloody hell are we supposed to find a way out of here?" Ron asked incredulously. 

"I suggest we start moving while we're figuring it out," said Lupin, and that sounded like a great idea to Harry as they moved out of the cell. The other end of the tunnel looked as though it opened into another chamber. "First, let's take Garnak's advice and invoke a mapping charm on each of our wands. That's a NEWT-level spell; is anyone familiar with it?" 

Not surprisingly, Hermione was the only one who knew of the spell. Lupin invoked the charm on each of the other wands, which would track the movements of the wand. Upon invoking a different spell, it would show a three-dimensional illustration floating in the air of the path they had traveled. He taught everyone the spell to display the recorded map, which fortunately was much easier than the tracking spell itself. 

Lupin dragged the unconscious goblin down the tunnel to a different cell and locked him in, casting a silencing charm on the door so that he couldn't signal to anyone. 

"Well, Voldemort is back that way, maybe we should continue the other way and see what we can find," Harry said. 

They moved cautiously down the tunnel and then broke out into a very large cavern. Along the edge of the walls were neat stacks of bluish-white lustrous metal bars. Several other tunnels led away from the chamber as well. 

"This place is a maze," Ron grumbled. 

"Shhh!" Hermione said, holding up her hand. 

They all listened, and then Harry heard it. Odd noises were coming from the tunnels... familiar noises... groaning, gurgling, tapping... he couldn't quite place where he heard them before, however. 

They were just starting to pick a random tunnel when they heard footsteps coming and suddenly four goblins emerged into the cavern, staring at them with wide eyes. They shouted something in goblin language and then began flinging hexes at them. The five humans dived behind one of the piles of metal bricks. In one motion, Harry ran backwards, pulling his wand and launching a stunning hex at the goblins, and then took cover behind the bricks. Peeking over, he saw that he had stunned one of the goblins, but the other five had apparently run back down the tunnel. 

"I think we had better run before they bring more goblins. We need to find an exit, not battle everyone," said Lupin, starting to move, and then they took off down another tunnel. The entered another large chamber, but Harry's stomach flip-flopped as he realized they had come into a dead-end. There were a few wooden shelves set up with large piles of parchments. 

They immediately turned to run back, but saw a large number of goblins filling the other chamber, peeking down the tunnel. Harry and Ginny threw themselves against one wall to the side of the door, and Lupin, Ron and Hermione went to the other side. 

Hexes starting flying down the tunnel hitting the back wall harmlessly. They looked like the cutting hexes that Harry had seen during the Burrow attack; he definitely didn't want to get in front of those again, although he knew how to block them more effectively now. Goblin magic required much different methods. 

Harry peeked around the corner and saw a few goblins creeping down the tunnel. He launched a stunning spell, getting the one in the lead and the rest ran back down to safety. 

"Time is not on our side," Lupin said. "Now that the goblins are onto us, it will make it much more difficult to find a way out before Voldemort arrives and gets suspicious. One thing in our favor; if I know goblins, they will not report that we are missing to Voldemort. They will try and capture us first so that Voldemort will not know that anything went wrong." 

There was a long silence as they considered their options. Harry noticed that Hermione was staring at something oddly. He followed her eyes... she was looking at a grate in the base of the wall of the chamber. "What is it, Hermione?" he asked. 

"I'm just wondering what that is... it's a way out, right? I'm not certain we can fit... but if I'm not mistaken, is that a ventilation duct?" 

Lupin's head snapped over. "Cover me," he said. Harry raised his wand and peered down the tunnel, where the goblins appeared as if they were still considering their options. Lupin moved over to the grate, which was partially in the line of fire from the tunnel. A goblin cast a few pot-shot hexes, but Harry shot some back, keeping them at bay. 

Lupin put his hand over the grate. "I think I feel air coming in..." He went over to the piles of parchment and ripped a few pieces off, creating a small pile of confetti. He dropped it in front of the grate, and the pieces flew away. "This is definitely for ventilation. I wonder if it leads to a larger ventilation shaft..." he said musingly. "This might be a way out of these caverns into the main Gringotts caverns. Unfortunately, it looks too small for any of us." 

"It's not too small for me," Ginny said. 

Harry looked at her, shocked, momentarily forgetting that he was supposed to be covering Lupin from the goblins in the tunnel. "No! You can't go by yourself!" 

"Ginny... there has to be some other way..." Ron said, looking extremely worried. 

Ginny's set her jaw firmly. "Do you have any other ideas?" she said, glancing between Harry and Ron. "You heard Professor Lupin, this might be a way out of here. And I'm the only one who can fit. We don't have time to argue about this!" 

"But..." Harry said weakly. He didn't want to accept it, but he knew in his gut that they had to take this chance. 

Ginny's face softened as she saw Harry's concern. "I'll be fine. Somehow, I'll find someone and bring them back." 

"At least... at least let me teach you how to block goblin curses..." Harry said. 

"I already know," Ginny said, smiling. "After your little adventure, did you think I wasn't going to be prepared if _that _ever happened again?" 

Harry gazed at her, choking up a little, feeling extremely worried about her. But then, another thought came to mind... she might even be safer in there. Perhaps she would survive this, even if he and the others didn't... "Ginny... no matter what happens... don't come back, all right? Just... hide out in there." 

"Don't talk like that! I _will _find a way out and bring back help," she said adamantly. 

Lupin nodded and waved his wand at the grate, making it fly off and land on the floor with a loud clang. "Ginny, do you know the Rappelling Charm?" 

"No," she said. 

"I have a feeling you'd better learn that one," Lupin said. "It shoots a rope with a piton at the end that shoots up and inserts itself into rock. It's Apeler Spicum. You have to imagine the piton entering the rock as you cast it. The wand movement is a circle, followed by a quick thrust. Quickly give it a try." 

Ginny concentrated, waving her wand in the proper motion. "_Apeler Spicum!_" A metal spike with a rope shot out of her wand, flying to the top of the chamber and embedding itself in the rock with a loud PING sound. 

"Excellent!" Lupin said, looking very professorial, despite the circumstances. 

Ginny turned to Harry, hesitating, looking like she wasn't quite certain what to say. Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione grew very attentive to peering down the tunnel, and Lupin turned away. 

"I love you so much," Ginny whispered. 

"I love you, too," Harry said emotionally, and pulled her into a tight embrace. They broke apart and gently kissed, then looked into each other's eyes. 

"Harry, if you have to fight Voldemort... you'll win. I know you will," she said intently. 

Harry swallowed and nodded. He couldn't help but have a sick feeling run through him that they were saying goodbye to each other for the last time. Ginny pulled away reluctantly, looking as though she was steeling herself to her task. She leaped hastily across the tunnel entrance, then gave Ron and Hermione tight, quick hugs. 

Moving over to the grate, she hugged Lupin, then eyed the narrow, rectangular passage. 

"Wait, I have an idea..." Lupin said, and then tapped his wand on Ginny's head, giving an incantation. 

"Yikes! That felt weird. What was that spell?" Ginny asked. 

"Slick charm. It'll make you almost frictionless, except for your hands and feet, when sliding through the shafts. I would recommend using a Tractum spell as well to pull yourself along more quickly." 

Ginny glanced at Harry, causing him to remember that she had used Tractum at the lake to pull him into the water. He hoped that was a good omen. 

She took a deep breath and lit up her wand. Kneeling down, she slid into the tight passage with her hands out in front of her. She wriggled along, her feet finally disappearing. 

Harry heard a commotion in the tunnel. Looking around the corner, he saw goblins talking to each other animatedly, pointing to the ventilation grate. "Damn! The goblins saw Ginny go into the grate... we need to stop them before they tell anyone..." 

Without thinking, Harry charged down the tunnel. The goblins began launching curses at him. Harry blocked most of them, but there were too many goblins, and he could feel some of them hitting him, causing painful stinging and blood flowing. He stunned several of them before they moved out of the line of fire. Harry burst into the chamber, quickly stunning five goblins. 

He saw several goblins run down the tunnel where they had come out of originally, where the odd noises appeared to be coming from. Harry took off down the tunnel as Ron, Hermione and Lupin came up behind. 

He spotted the goblins going through smoothly sliding stone door, which began to close behind them. "_Pulvis!_" he snapped, causing a bright beam of red light to leap from his wand. The stone door shattered and blew out backwards. 

Running through the debris, he entered an enormous cavern with smooth walls, and a ceiling too high to see as it was lost in darkness. Large boulders taller than himself were strewn about, blocking the view of the entire chamber, but he could hear industrial noises echoing within. The goblins seemed to have disappeared. 

Harry stopped, looking around, wondering which way he should go. Again, he had an odd feeling of deja-vu... then it came to him. This was the place in his dream. He was certain that Voldemort had been here before. 

Ron, Hermione and Lupin came running in behind him, wands drawn. They stopped and scanned the area, looking at Harry for his lead. 

"I'm not certain which way they went," Harry said, frustrated. 

"There's something going on in here," Ron said, listening to the noise. 

"Let's explore a bit further," Lupin said cautiously. "Perhaps we can find a way out in here." 

They moved forward, walking cautiously through the maze of huge rocks. Harry couldn't tell what was lighting the place; it appeared to be getting brighter as they went, but there were no shadows. 

They had walked at least a hundred yards when the view opened up into a huge hole in the center of the cavern. They four crept to the edge and peeked down. Enormous amounts of equipment were set up. Harry could see row upon row of bubbling cauldrons, each one a good ten feet in diameter and fifteen feet high. A stack of the odd bluish-white metal bricks were stacked neatly in one area, while another area held some very strange metal cages. Large bins, as big as railroad cars, held supplies of many sorts of materials; one had yellow crystals, another had some sort of fine black material. It was difficult to see the entire area. 

Dozens of goblins were moving busily among all the equipment; moving supplies, checking indicators and occasionally writing in notebooks. 

"What the bloody hell is going on down there?" Ron asked incredulously. 

"I – I don't know," Hermione said, wide eyed. 

"I would say that this is what Voldemort doesn't want anyone to find," Lupin said musingly. 

Harry felt anger and frustration rising in him. "Who cares about this! The goblins know that Ginny is in the ventilation shaft. They'll tell Voldemort and she won't have a chance!" 

There was a tense silence as no one had any response to that. Suddenly Ginny's words came back to him... _'if you have to fight Voldemort...' _That was it. The only way. Harry took a deep breath. 

"There's only one way to come out of this," he said grimly. "I have to fight Voldemort. I have to go to him – alone." 

Hermione gasped. "Harry, what are you saying? We need to find a way out... we'll have a better chance with you! And anyway, we should stick together..." 

"He's going to come for us eventually, but first he'll go for Ginny... she'll never make it!" Harry said vehemently. 

"Well, then, we're coming with you! We're not going to let you go by yourself," Hermione said stubbornly. 

"Not a bloody chance! I am going by myself, and that's the end of it," Harry said, growing very irritated. 

Hermione looked as if she wanted to say something, but was hesitating. 

"No, this is not a 'saving people thing,' " Harry said angrily. "This only makes sense! Look, he'll kill you as coldly as he killed Cedric! _As easily as he killed my mother and father! _Do you _want _to die? 

"Which one of you dueled Dumbledore to a draw?" he demanded. "What can you do for me except die? _Please _just let me go... he may not know yet that Ginny is going up the ventilation shafts... let me hold him off, keep him busy... it's our only chance!" 

Lupin closed his eyes tightly, then opened them, looking grim. "I'm afraid you're right, Harry." 

"Professor Lupin! No!" Hermione said shrilly. "We can't... just leave him..." 

"We can and we must, Hermione," Lupin said firmly. "You're a brilliant witch, but you are no match for Voldemort. No one is, except Dumbledore – and Harry. Do you really think it's going to make it easier to survive this by forcing Harry to watch us die at Voldemort's hand? Or worse than die... 

"And just because we're not fighting him directly, doesn't mean we can't wreak some havoc and keep everyone else occupied while Harry keeps him busy," he said with a predatory smile. Harry thought he looked awfully like a werewolf at that moment. 

"They're right, Hermione," Ron said, looking determined. "The Death Eaters are probably here somewhere, too. We should draw them away from Harry and... and..." Ron paused, taking a deep breath. "Voldemort," he said with gritted teeth. It was the first time Harry had ever heard Ron say the name. 

Hermione's mouth opened and then closed, then she nodded with tears in her eyes. "You're both right." 

"In fact," Ron continued thoughtfully. "Maybe we should have a way for Harry to signal us to start creating some chaos. We want to stall for time as much as possible, right? No sense tipping everyone off until we're ready. Voldemort might not even be here yet." 

"I like the way you think, Weasley," Lupin said, giving him an appraising look. Ron flushed, looking pleased. "Everyone, hold out your wands. Harry, give the spell _Nectere Signum_, and then touch our wands at the same time." 

Harry did so, causing all the wands to glow temporarily, then fade out. "What did that do?" he asked. 

"Cast _Invocarem_, and see," Lupin said. 

Harry did so, and all the wands glowed brightly once again for about ten seconds, then faded. He nodded, then reset the signaling charm. "All right, I'll signal you when I'm ready." 

"Oh, Harry... please be careful..." Hermione said, hugging him tightly, then releasing him. Harry turned to Ron. They looked at each other for a second, then they embraced tightly as well. He finally embraced Lupin, then stepped back from the three of them. There didn't seem to be any words left as he stood before them, possibly for the last time. 

Harry then turned and walked away, without looking back. 

* * * 

_A/N: Two more chapters plus the epilogue to go. Minor warning: I'm going to try, but the next chapter may not be out next week. Cruel, I know. But it's a HUGE chapter, on the order of 17,000 words, and it's not done, much less beta read and edited. I should split it, but I figured what the heck. Might as well make the climactic chapter a big blow-out megachapter. I guarantee no one will complain about a lack of action. :)_

_As usual, thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. And more thanks to all the reviewers, who make this all worthwhile._

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	32. Chapter 31 Secrets Beneath the Earth

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 31: Secrets Beneath the Earth_

_A/N: To the people who are following this story for the action, and sort of tolerated the fluffier aspects of the story, this chapter is dedicated to you. :)_

_Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Ginny slid down a tight ventilation shaft, her wand held in front of her as she cast Tractum spells to pull herself along. She was very glad that Lupin had put the slick charm on her; she was moving along the shafts quite quickly. The series of tunnels were far longer than she expected and if she'd had to crawl within them, she never would have made it very far. 

On the other hand, she was growing increasingly frustrated. The tunnels were seemingly endless as she came upon fork after fork. Occasionally, she found duct that angled upward, so she took those, figuring it was better to keep moving higher. One good thing was that the shafts had grown a bit larger, giving her more room. 

The air flow in the shafts was very odd; it seemed to flow one direction, and then blew back the other, as if the caverns themselves were breathing. She had tried to figure out what direction the air was coming from, but that proved impossible. 

"_Tractum!_" she cast, pulling herself down yet another stone tunnel. She dead-ended into another tunnel, her wand lighting the smooth wall of a perpendicular shaft. Ginny was about to decide whether to go left or right when she noticed a distinctive gouge in the wall – the same gouge she had seen before. 

"_Damn it!_" she shouted, her voice muffled by the narrow passageway. She felt tears coming to her eyes; she felt helpless and claustrophobic, and now she realized she had been going in a circle. 

She pulled herself together, remembering that Harry and the others were counting on her to find a way out. She decided to give herself a minute to think. There had to be a way to do this more efficiently and effectively. 

And then it hit her... she had a mapping charm on her wand. "_Stupid!_" she said, hitting herself in the head. She invoked the display incantation. A small, three-dimensional map floated in mid-air, showing all the cavern spaces and ventilation shafts that had been in her view since the charm had been invoked. The spaces were in a dim red, with a blue line running along the path she had traveled. The news wasn't all bad; she had managed to climb to some extent, and only her recent path had been in a circle. 

She studied the map, rotating it around, and then saw something she hadn't noticed before. An opening to a shaft, somewhat larger in size, led directly upward from one of the tunnels she already had been down. She must have missed it when she slid by using the Tractum charm. 

_That has to be something, _she thought excitedly. Checking the map one last time, she figured out a path back to the vertical passage. 

* * * 

Hermione, Ron and Lupin walked around the edge of the huge pit, gazing down at the enormous amount of magical equipment and supplies. The base of the crater was about two hundred feet below them, emitting a strange glow which illuminated everything but cast no shadow. 

"What could they possibly be doing down there?" Hermione whispered. 

"Something significant, if Voldemort went to this much trouble to bring in all this material," Lupin replied. 

"All I know is, whatever it is, there's a lot here that we can destroy," Ron said, grinning. 

"Agreed," Lupin said. "Let's do some scouting, see where everyone is, and perhaps even find out what's going on. It's even possible we may find a way to communicate with the outside." 

Ron and Hermione nodded as they continued sneaking along the edge of the pit. There were large openings in the walls that apparently led to other caverns. They saw some goblins rolling in another load of the bluish-white metal bricks on a cart from one of the large openings. 

Coming up to a very rocky area, they spotted a wide path with large boulders that angled down along the wall to the bottom of the pit. 

Lupin peered into the huge chasm, scanning around the local area. "I think this might be a good way to go down. If we try and keep behind the rocks, we may be able to stay undetected." 

Ron and Hermione nodded as they began their descent, carefully watching for anyone that might spot them. They paused behind the large rocks, but this part of the pit seemed to be unoccupied. 

At last they reached the bottom where they found themselves next to one of the huge bins of supplies, which was a rusty brownish-red in color and about six feet high. A large spout was at one end, with a wheel valve above it. Ron walked over and pulled himself up to peer over the edge. 

"There's some kind of red liquid in here," he said. 

"Well, don't touch it, Ron!" Hermione hissed. 

"I'm not!" Ron said, annoyed. 

"Someone's coming!" Lupin said quickly. 

Ron dropped down and ran over with Lupin and Hermione behind some rocks. A goblin came strolling up with a wheelbarrow. He placed it under the spout in the bin and turned the valve, causing the red liquid to pour out. He filled up the wheelbarrow to about half full, then turned off the valve. He began rolling it away toward another part of the pit. 

"Well, now what?" Ron asked. 

"I suggest we follow this fellow. Perhaps we can learn more about what's going on," Lupin replied. 

They followed at a safe distance, hiding behind various rocks as the goblin rolled the wheelbarrow along a line of the large bins. The temperature began to grow noticeably hotter as they moved into the area of the pit with the line of enormous cauldrons, each one towering over the three of them. The goblin moved to the third row, then rolled the red material to a cauldron in the center of the row, five cauldrons down. 

Ron, Hermione and Lupin carefully hid behind a boulder parallel to the row the goblin was working in. They peeked around the rock; the goblin seemingly oblivious while doing his work. He reached for a clipboard next to the cauldron and wrote down something, then waved his hand at the wheelbarrow, sweeping it toward the cauldron. A column of the red liquid flew up into the air and poured itself in. 

The goblin watched until he was satisfied the job was complete, then began rolling his wheelbarrow toward Lupin, Ron and Hermione, who ducked behind the boulder. The goblin continued walking as they followed. 

They heard a loud SNAP and a gurgling sound began coming from another one of the cauldrons. The goblin stopped and went over, as if it were routine. He checked the clipboard, then waved his hand at the cauldron and a black sludgy liquid came out of the cauldron and loaded itself into his wheelbarrow. 

They followed him as he rolled the material away from cauldron, and into a large cavern in the side of the pit. Lupin, Ron and Hermione peeked around the corner and watched him pour the sludge into a hole in the cave floor. After completing this task, the goblin rolled the wheelbarrow away. 

Ron and Hermione were about to continue following him, but Lupin stopped them. "Let's examine this cavern," he whispered. 

After the goblin had gone out of their sight, they crept inside, trying to stay out of direct view. They peered into the strange hole, which descended into darkness. It was apparently very deep. Ron picked up a large rock and tossed it into the hole. They could hear it hitting walls for ten or twenty seconds before hitting the sludge with a thick 'gloop' sound. 

Meanwhile, Hermione had found a narrow passageway into another cavern. "Look in here!" she said, peeking through the doorway. "It's like those metal bricks, but different." 

Lupin and Ron followed her in. Inside they saw a large pile of the bluish-white metal, but instead of neat bricks, they were misshapen lumps, and checking closely, they could see odd yellow streaks in the metal. Ron picked up one of the lumps, struggling to lift it. "It's bloody heavy, whatever it is." 

"We'd better move out before someone else shows up," Lupin said. "Let's see if we can find out more while we wait for Harry's signal." 

* * * 

Harry strode back through the field of huge stones, trying not to think too much about the task ahead of him. Somehow, he needed to stall Voldemort, to give Ginny as much time as possible. He had to hope that Garnak was right, and Voldemort hadn't arrived yet. Perhaps he was delayed... if he took long enough, it was possible that Harry might not even have to fight him... 

Harry sighed, not truly believing it. 

Finally arriving at the blasted door, he cautiously moved down the tunnel and broke out into the chamber where he'd battled the goblins, who were still unconscious. He peered down the tunnel into the room where Ginny had entered the ventilation duct, feeling an urge to run over and call to her, to get any kind of a sign that she was still alive. 

Steeling himself, Harry marched the other way, down the tunnel that led to the cell block his friends had been held in. He peeked into the cell where they had put the guard and noticed the goblin was awake, sitting on the floor, looking extremely irritated. He wondered if he could get some information out of him. 

"Comfortable?" Harry asked with a malicious smile. 

The goblin's head snapped around. "So. You're not dead yet. Only a matter of time," he said bitterly. 

"Do you know a way out of this place?" Harry asked. 

The goblin chortled. "Yes. Simply die, and your soul will leave this place." 

"What will Voldemort do to you when he hears that you let us go?" Harry asked, an edge in his voice. 

The goblin gave him a wary glance. "I'm not the one that let you out." 

"In my experience, Voldemort isn't one to listen to excuses," Harry said. "But you know better than I do. Good luck." He began to walk away. 

"Wait!" the goblin called after him, a bit panicked. Harry went back to the window. "I know something perhaps useful to you." 

"Well?" Harry said, with an affected voice of impatience, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. 

"What do I get in return?" the Goblin said slyly. 

"I don't have time for this," Harry said, feigning anger. He stomped away. 

"All right!" the Goblin said, running up to the door and pounding desperately. He was too short to see through the window as Harry returned. "I've only heard rumors... but I'm told that the Dark Lord has a special wand. It's supposed to be attuned to you." 

Harry blinked at him, stunned as that thought sank into him. Apparently Voldemort had planned to not run into any _Priori Incantatem_ problems this time around. He supposed it only made sense that Voldemort would get a new wand. 

"How is it attuned to me? What does that mean?" asked Harry sharply. 

"I have no idea, wizard," the goblin said condescendingly. "That's all I know." 

As Harry nodded and turned away, the goblin called out to him. "Hey! What about me?" 

Harry turned and drew his wand in a lightning motion. "_Stupefy!_" he snapped, stunning the goblin who fell back into the cell with a loud thud. "Sorry about that," he muttered, not feeling terribly guilty. 

Continuing down the corridor, Harry again considered Voldemort's new wand. What could it mean to be attuned to him? He had never even heard of such an idea. 

Harry reached the end of the tunnel, breaking out into the cavern that connected to his own cell block. He eyed the tunnel two entrances to the left, feeling a knot of nervousness in his stomach. Clutching his wand tightly, he began creeping down the corridor toward Voldemort. 

* * * 

Ginny crawled along the ventilation duct that led to the vertical shaft she had seen on the map. _This has to be the way out, _she thought furiously. She kept moving, sliding along more slowly so that she wouldn't miss it. _It ought to be here by now!_

Just as she was about to examine the map again, she saw a shadow up ahead from her wand light. She slithered along faster and came upon a smooth shaft heading straight up. The passage was much larger than the duct she was in, giving her hope it was a main airway. She pointed her wand up into the shaft. The light disappeared into the darkness; she couldn't tell how high it went. 

Having an idea, she displayed the mapping charm again. She didn't totally understand how the charm operated, but she suspected it showed everything that was in her view, even if she wasn't directly looking at it. Studying the shaft on the map, she saw it rise high and then seem to stop. There was sort of a mushroom shape around the top, which she thought might be all the charm could show of another duct or even a cavern. The shape appeared rather large. 

She vanished the map and considered how she should climb up the shaft. Tractum wasn't strong enough to pull her own weight, so it was probably time to use the Rappelling Charm. She wondered if it would reach all the way to the top. 

"_Apeler Spicum!_" Ginny shouted, her voice echoing up the duct as she imagined the piton reaching the top. The rope shot upward and she heard a loud PING far up the shaft. 

She shoved her wand into her pocket, keeping it lit up so that she'd have some light. Taking a deep breath, Ginny pulled herself up into the shaft and then wedged herself between the two walls, her legs pushing her back against the wall. Ginny found that the slick charm made it much easier to climb; she could push with her feet and slide against the other wall, while also pulling up with the rope. She quickly moved up the shaft. 

The duct went up about a hundred feet and then she reached the top. Ginny pulled herself over the edge and flopped onto her back, a bit out of breath from the climb. She pulled her wand out and lit up the space. It was a much larger tunnel, almost large enough to stand up in, perhaps five feet high. She grew excited, suspecting that this was a main airway. 

She displayed her map, which showed that one end of the tunnel appeared to narrow, while the other direction grew larger. She could feel a considerable amount of air moving back and forth, similar to what she felt in the narrow ventilation shafts. Getting up from the floor, she kept her head ducked carefully. The top of the tunnel was very rough; it would be very easy to hit her head if she wasn't careful. _That's all I need, to hit my head and knock myself out, _she thought. 

Ginny moved quickly down the tunnel, all too aware that time was important, needing to find help as soon as possible. The tunnel gradually grew higher and wider, finally allowing her to stand erect. She began jogging, moving quickly yet carefully. 

A hole suddenly opened up in front of her; she stopped abruptly, kicking a stone into the hole, which fell for a long time before hitting the bottom. She felt a stab of fear as her stomach flip-flopped. Ginny breathed heavily; she had almost fallen into the shaft. _Stupid! I should have realized there would be more shafts, _she thought, angry with herself. She needed to be more careful or this would end a lot sooner than everyone wanted. 

Jumping over the hole and continuing on, she paid much more attention to the ground. The tunnel was growing quite wide now as she tried to move even faster, breaking into a jog again. She slowed as she heard a very odd sound; it was almost musical, a loud whistling was coming from up ahead. 

Ginny continued on, hoping it was something significant. Seeing a vague flash of something green ahead, she squinted through her wand light, but didn't see it again. She extinguished her wand, and then a green glow was visible far up ahead in the tunnel. She hadn't seen it before because of her wand light, but there could be no doubt that something odd was up ahead. 

Lighting up her wand again, Ginny ran down the tunnel, still keeping one eye on the floor, but feeling certain the glow had to tell her something about the way out. As she approached the end, she could see the glow growing bright enough to see, highlighting the sharp edges of an opening to the tunnel. She slowed and crept up to the end and was astounded by what she saw. 

It was a massive cavern. The rough walls glowed with a dim, eerie green glow, with occasional bright spots of light, like stars in a green sky. Other tunnels similar to hers lined the cavern, presumably other air vents. 

But the oddest thing was the base of the cavern. It was a smooth, pink, fleshy color. As Ginny watched in fascination, the floor fell sixty feet, then slowly rose again to about ten feet below the edge of her tunnel. The entire cycle seemed to take about a half-minute; the cavern seeming to breath like an enormous lung. As the floor went down, air was drawn out of the tunnels, and when the floor went back up, the air was pushed back.__

She peered up the chamber. The green glow appeared to fade very high up until she couldn't see into the darkness. 

_This has to be the main air supply, _Ginny thought excitedly. She examined the walls of the cavern; they were very craggy and rough, with a lot of outcroppings. They were climbable, particularly with the aid of the Rappelling Charm. 

She saw a small ledge to the right of her tunnel entrance; it seemed like a good place to start. Since there was plenty of light from the green glow, Ginny extinguished her light. Pointing her wand upward, she cast the Rappelling Charm, imagining the piton sticking in as high as possible. A rope flew out of her wand, higher and higher, finally sticking into the rock about one hundred fifty feet up. 

She wrapped the rope around her waist and stepped out onto the narrow ledge. She began climbing, often finding good handholds and foot steps, but sometimes having to pull herself up with the rope. Reaching the top of the rope, Ginny took a quick glance down, then quickly looked back up, feeling nervous from the height. She rested for a few seconds, then aimed her wand up and sent another rope up high. It again stuck in the rock another hundred and fifty feet above her. 

Two more rope lengths she climbed, until the rope stuck in the bottom of a large ledge. She took another deep breath, feeling very tired from all the crawling and climbing. Still she kept moving, getting into a rhythm as she climbed, trying not to dwell on what might be happening with everyone back in the chambers. 

At last Ginny reached the bottom of the large ledge, her muscles burning as she climbed slowly over the edge. She collapsed on the flat surface, about ten feet by twenty feet. Rolling onto her back, she stared up at the green glow. Tears sprung to her eyes; she could hardly see the top. It would take forever at this rate. But she had to keep moving, everything depended on her... 

_All right, Weasley. What would Harry do? You know he would keep going, exhausted or not. _She forced herself to get up and warily eyed the cavern as she shot another rope up. Up she climbed, muscles unused to the activity aching from the ascent. Ginny was about two-thirds of the way up the rope when she heard some activity below her. 

She glanced down and felt a thrill of fear as she saw four goblins on flying desks staring up at her from a newly opened entrance at the bottom of the cavern. 

* * * 

Harry crept along the tunnel, keeping his wand at the ready to stun anything that moved. The passage twisted and turned several times, then began angling upward. Spotting the end, Harry slowly approached and saw a brightly lit room ahead. Getting down on his knees, he crawled cautiously toward the entrance, then laid down on the floor, inching his way toward the entry, trying to make himself as unobtrusive as possible in case anyone was there. 

At last he was able to get a good look. It was an enormous, rectangular room, perhaps one hundred yards long by seventy-five yards wide. The floor of the room was sunken, with a large flat outer area, which sloped down to a flat inner area, giving an appearance of a large bowl. 

The walls were quite rough stone, with large boulders on the outer track, giving the place an unfinished feel to it, but the middle sunken section was covered with a smooth marble floor. Golden patterns were artfully inlaid in the marble. A shallow reflecting pool stood in the very center, surrounded by elaborately-carved marble benches. In the middle of the pool was a golden serpent fountain, spraying water into the air. Oddly, the drops hit the water, but created no waves that disturbed the mirror surface of the water. 

Tall stone pillars engraved with golden-colored serpents surrounded the pool, with matching pillars along the edges against the walls. Harry could also see tunnels leading elsewhere. 

The place appeared to be empty. Harry cautiously got up off the tunnel floor and entered the room, hiding behind some of the large boulders as he moved around the edge. Although the room was beautiful in its way, it had an oddly cold, sterile feeling to it, causing Harry to shiver a little bit. 

Seeing a strange-looking bin at one end of the room, Harry walked toward it, keeping his wand at the ready in case someone might come in. As he approached, he could see a bright glow coming from the contents. Peering into the bin, he was stunned to see that it was filled with golden Galleon coins. Thousands upon thousands of Galleons sparkled up at him as he reached in and took out a handful, letting them fall through his fingers like grains of sand. 

_Why does Voldemort have a small fortune in here? _Harry wondered. Maybe it was used to finance the rogue goblins, but why keep it in a bin here in this chamber? 

Harry sighed as he backed away from the container, and looked around the room. He saw a good hiding place toward a corner of the cavern, with several large boulders. Since Voldemort didn't seem to be here yet, he might as well wait and keep himself concealed. 

* * * 

Ginny pulled her wand, knowing that she was at a distinct disadvantage being stuck to the cavern wall while the goblins could fly around her. She glanced up, seeing another large ledge above her, but it was quite a distance away. 

Suddenly, some flashes of light flew up at her, hitting the green cavern wall and reflecting up into the darkness. She felt a sting as several curses hit her in the leg and then the back, blood flowing and soaking her trousers and shirt. They launched several more curses, but she was ready this time, and managed to block them effectively. Still, she felt anxious; the longer she spent fighting them, the less chance there was of bringing back help in time. She launched some stunning spells at them, but they were too far away and they easily dodged out of the way. 

After seeing Ginny block their curses, the goblins apparently decided that taking potshots at her wasn't going to be an effective strategy and starting flying up to her. Ginny tensed; her wand at the ready, as she wrapped the rope around her waist several times so that she could concentrate on fighting them without worrying about falling. She cast a few more stunning spells, but the goblins dodged, being very maneuverable on the desks. 

The goblins split up, two of them going above her right and left, and two staying below, and they began firing curses at her from four directions. She did her best to block them, but could only do so much; she concentrated on protecting her face and chest. She felt cutting curses hitting her legs. 

_I need to keep moving, _she thought desperately. Ginny pulled the rope extra tightly around her waist and pushed off from the wall, running along the vertical surface. The goblins started chattering at each other in goblin language, apparently exhorting each other to hit her, but they had a much more difficult time hitting a moving target. 

They began to move closer, trying to get a better aim at her. Ginny saw out of the corner of her eye that one of the goblins was pulling up next to the wall, so as to nullify Ginny's movement advantage. She had an idea... maybe she could surprise him... 

Gripping the rope in one hand and her wand in the other, she waited for the goblin to get a bit closer... Ginny then pushed away from the wall with all her strength, flying out into the air like a pendulum. She waved her wand at the goblin. 

"_Stupefy!_" she shouted. The spell flew through the air and hit the goblin dead center. He slumped over the desk as it began to fall, and fell onto the wide ledge she had rested on earlier. 

The other goblins flew down out of range and huddled together, apparently discussing the situation. Ginny had another idea; she hated to go down, but the ledge below would be much more defensible than being a sitting duck on the wall. 

She slid quickly down the rope next to the unconscious goblin. She scooted to the edge and peered over as the other goblins stared back at her. They seemed satisfied with the stalemate for now. _And why not? _she thought bitterly. _As long as I stay on this ledge, they're happy. Time is on their side._

There had to be something she could do. She sat down on the ledge with her back against the rough wall, considering her options. She stared at the unconscious goblin, wanting to kick it in frustration. Her eyes then moved to the goblin's flying desk... and a shiver went down her spine. _Merlin's bloody beard, that's my ticket out of this place._

She'd never flown on one of the goblin desks; in fact, it was a good thing she was small, otherwise she wouldn't fit on one. Ginny crawled over to the desk, inspecting it closely. Fortunately, it appeared to be undamaged from the fall. It was very probable that it used the same charms as brooms for flying. 

Ginny pushed the goblin's body away and set the desk upright again. She sat down, barely fitting on it, trying to get the measure of how it felt. She gripped the table surface as he had seen the goblins do and willed it to rise a few inches, the way she would a broom. It rose up exactly like a broom, sending a thrill of excitement through her. There was a chance to get out of this alive... 

She considered her options. Undoubtedly, the goblins would follow her immediately. She wondered if she could distract them somehow, to give herself a head start. Ginny eyed the unconscious goblin. She felt a slight twinge of guilt at her idea, but the goblins were trying to kill them all. It was no time to be squeamish, and she wasn't feeling in a particularly gentle mood anyway. 

She readied herself and took a deep breath. Angling herself in the air, she pushed the goblin off the ledge. Hearing a panicked noise and a whoosh of desks through the air as they went to check on their comrade, Ginny took to the air, flying very fast. 

An amazing sense of relief ran through her as she flew up the cavern; it felt so good to be flying instead of climbing up the bloody cavern wall on a rope. She risked a glance behind her. She saw the goblins looking up at her from far below, and they were just starting to move. 

Ginny had a long lead on them, however. As she flew by another ledge, she noticed that it had a pile of large, loose stones. Abruptly stopping her desk, she spun around and levitated a large pile of rocks into the air and dropped them, then quickly continued on without checking to see where they went. She heard a loud crash, and she banged her fist on the desk surface in triumph, suspecting she had managed to catch another one. Taking another peek back, she saw the two left were hugging the walls to avoid any more dropped objects. 

Higher and higher she flew; the green glow growing fainter as the cavern faded into darkness. She was about to light her wand when a bright beam of light emitted from the front of the desk, illuminating her path. 

She heard the two goblins coming closer; cutting curses started to fly around her as she took evasive maneuvers. Ginny was forced to slow down; she couldn't see very well and was afraid she would hit the cavern wall, being distracted by the goblins. She had no choice; she had to turn and fight them. But trying to fight them in the dark was very risky... 

Ginny decided she had to get rid of the goblins if she wanted any chance. Abruptly spinning the desk around, she flew straight down at a reckless speed, flying past the stunned goblins, trying to get back to the green glow so that she could see them to fight them. A half minute later she reentered the glowing part of the cavern, the light on her desk extinguishing automatically. She spun the desk around and waited with her wand raised... 

And nothing happened. She punched the top of the desk in frustration; the goblins weren't taking the bait. _Damn, nobody ever said goblins were stupid_, she thought with irritation. They were perfectly happy to have her waste her time down here while they waited up there in the darkness. 

_Hmm, _she thought, as a rather radical idea came to her... 

She flew back up, holding her wand in front of her. The light grew dim once again, and her desk light turned on again. She saw the goblins high above her, on opposite sides of the cavern, trying to squeeze her. _Perfect, _she thought, _just where I want you..._

Just as she was approaching the goblins, she could see them raising their hands, getting ready to fling curses at her... 

"_Apeler Spicum!_" she shouted, casting the Rappelling Charm. The rope flung out toward the first goblin, and stuck straight into his desk. She then cast another charm, sticking into the other goblin's desk. Cutting curses were flying at her as she wrapped the rope around a bracing connecting the top of the desk to the seat, and then accelerated upward, as fast as the desk would go. 

Higher and higher she went until suddenly she felt the ropes grow taught. Ginny glanced down, just in time to see the two goblins jerked upward and away from each wall. They swung together and collided in mid-air with a huge crash. The desks broke apart, causing the goblins to fall to the floor of the cavern. 

"Take that, you bloody bastards!" Ginny screamed out loud in triumph. 

Ginny exhaled a heavy breath. _Now to get out of here, _she thought as she untied the rope. She flew upward through the cavern, the desk lighting the way. She could barely make out the sides of the cavern as she flew higher. Abruptly she broke out into an enormous, well-lit chamber. Huge torches lined the walls and she could see hundreds of holes in the floor, with fifty foot stalactites hanging from the ceiling and equally large stalagmites coming up from the floor. A damp smell permeated the air from water dripping all around the chamber. 

She flew around the huge space, looking for any sign of a way out. She was just about activate her mapping charm when she saw cart tracks coming out of a tunnel in a corner of the cavern, turning, and then disappearing into the side of another. 

Ginny looked at the tracks excitedly, thinking that they had to lead somewhere. She just needed to follow them and find help, and hope that somewhere her friends were doing all right. 

* * * 

Harry sat behind his boulder, feeling fidgety that he should be doing something more, but at the same time thankful that with every minute that passed, Ginny had that much more of a chance. He worriedly wondered if she was making any progress. 

Suddenly, he heard footsteps entering the cavern. He peeked around his boulder and saw a very familiar face strolling about the cavern, even his gait seeming familiar as he moved with an air of arrogance. 

It was Lucius Malfoy. 

He sauntered toward Harry's side of the room as Harry ducked back out of sight. Slow footsteps echoed through the room as he moved closer, causing Harry's heart to beat a little faster. He was tempted to quickly stun him, but at the same time, he didn't want to give himself away. He wasn't certain what his strategy should be. 

The footsteps stopped, not far from him. A silence descended on the room, then he heard the jingling of coins. Lucius Malfoy had stopped at the bin, and was handling the coins. Harry heard a small chuckle. 

"Lovely," Malfoy said in a low, drawling voice. 

Harry thought quickly, trying to decide what he should do. Voldemort clearly wasn't here yet, but was Voldemort expecting Lucius Malfoy to be here? If Harry captured him, would that tip Voldemort off that something was wrong? But if he didn't capture him, that was perhaps one more Death Eater he might have to fight later, when the odds weren't nearly as good. 

Harry made his decision. He gripped his wand tightly, hoping that Malfoy was turned away from him. He stepped out quickly from behind his boulder and aimed his wand. 

"_Stupefy!_" Harry shouted. 

Unfortunately, Malfoy was facing Harry's hiding place. His eyes went wide as he dropped to the ground, behind the bin. Harry's spell missed. 

Harry swore, running along the side of the cavern wall to get a better angle. Meanwhile, Malfoy had rolled away from the bin and rose to his feet. 

"_Avada Kedavra!_" he screamed, launching the killing curse. 

Harry dived behind a boulder, the curse causing a large spray of rock to explode from the surface of the boulder. 

"I don't know how you escaped, Potter, but surely you know you can't win," Malfoy said smoothly, with Harry peeking over the boulder. 

Malfoy was exposed, now was Harry's chance. He rose up and ran straight at Malfoy, wanting to be certain he didn't miss this time... 

"_Sopor Irrationalis!_" he shouted on the run as Malfoy shouted a Protego spell. His stun spell blew through the shield, causing Malfoy to fall to the ground, unconscious. 

Harry stared down at the body, considering what to do with him. Cold anger filled him as a little voice began to talk to him, rationalizing to himself... _Remember what he did to Ginny, _the voice said. _No one would ever know if you killed him right now. Doesn't he deserve it? And doesn't that give you a better chance of coming out of this alive, anyway? Remember what happened when you showed mercy to Peter Pettigrew..._

Harry closed his eyes, temptation filling him. He opened his eyes, looking back at the helpless body... he hated him, but... he couldn't kill him. Not like this. He cast a binding spell, tying up Malfoy's body. He found Malfoy's wand lying nearby, and, casting an inferno spell, burned it to ashes. 

Levitating the body, he jogged quickly to the tunnel he had entered in and back into the holding cell area. He picked one of the cells in the tunnel where he'd been kept. As he locked the door, he cast a silencing charm so that no one could hear Malfoy, in case he woke up. 

He quickly moved back to the fountain room, cautiously peering around, but the room was empty once again. He moved back to his hiding place and waited. 

* * * 

Ginny flew cautiously along the tracks, occasionally seeing another track branch off to some unknown place. She had absolutely no idea where to go, but it seemed reasonable to continue following the same set of tracks. Since there were so many off-shoots, it was possible that the one she was following was a main line. 

Fortunately, all the passages were well lit, so she was able to maintain a steady clip. She passed quickly by a set of vaults, whizzing past before she realized what it was. She stopped the desk and cautiously flew back, wondering if there might be some goblins about. It had to be a good sign that she was finding vaults. 

There was a landing with four medium-sized vaults, but the floor and doors were covered with dust. She sighed in frustration; wherever she was, it hadn't been accessed in quite some time. Seeing some narrow tunnels leading away from the landing, she was tempted to get off the desk and hunt around for someone, but she recalled hearing that Gringotts had all sorts of odd security measures, so it was best to stick to the tracks. 

She continued on, seeing more and more vaults along the tracks, but no goblins. _I have to be getting close, _Ginny thought worriedly, squeezing the sides of the desk a little tighter. How long had she been gone? She didn't even know anymore. 

Reaching another area, she saw a large, open vault, with a cart parked in front, causing her heart to start thudding in her chest. She landed the desk on the landing. 

"Hello?" she called. "Is anyone here?" 

She peered into the vault and saw six goblins stacking crates into neat stacks. The goblins immediately froze in shock at the site of her. _I must look like a mess_, she thought idly with blood stains all over her. 

"Wizard!" one goblin snapped. "What are you doing down here?" 

"Look, you need to take me to Ragnok... it's an emergency!" Ginny said imploringly. 

The goblin stared at her as though she was insane. "What sort of trick is this? I have no time for games from thieves. Hold still, prepare to be stunned and you will be turned over to the Ministry unharmed." 

"I don't have time for this!" Ginny said angrily. "I'm not a thief. But Voldemort is holding my friends... he's holding Harry Potter. He has a base below Gringotts!" 

The goblins began laughing at her riotously. "If you're going to lie, at least make it plausible, thief," another goblin said derisively. 

"It's the truth! And we don't have much time..." Ginny began to feel desperate as the goblins glared at her with intense skepticism. 

"Tell your story to the Ministry. We have too much work. Hold still..." the goblin said, raising is arm. Ginny pulled her wand, causing the goblin to stop and eye her warily. "We have no desire to hurt you, wizard. It's clear you have already had a run-in today with my kind. Surely you don't want another?" 

"I'll do what I have to do," Ginny said grimly, feeling extremely frustrated. "Please believe me... just take me to Ragnok... I got these cuts because goblins are helping Voldemort! They're working below Gringotts..." 

"Now I've had enough," the goblin said angrily. "First you tell us lies, now you insult our kind by saying we would work with Voldemort. You want to be taken the hard way, then so be it." The goblin threw a curse at her. Ginny blocked it automatically, all her golem practice paying off. 

"_Stupefy!_" she shouted, stunning the attacking goblin. The other goblins began launching cutting curses at her, which she tried to block, but there were too many of them as she felt stabs of pain in her leg and shoulder. 

Ginny ran away from the goblins, hopping onto her desk, but got turned around and flew back the way she came. She banged her fist on the desk, thinking she should have continued the other way. Flipping the desk around, she flew back but met the other five goblins piling in the cart, who started flinging curses at her. 

She swore and turned back again as the goblins chased her in the cart. She increased the speed, flying recklessly down the passage, hoping to lose them by flying into one of the other tunnels, but the cart kept up, keeping her in view. 

Pointing her wand backward, she shouted "_Stupefy!_" The goblins began shouting, falling back slightly in the cart. Ginny raced ahead, wondering if she should take another tunnel and lose them, but she didn't want to get lost, and also wondered if they had some way of following her. Another idea came to her instead. She aimed her wand up ahead and launched a spell, destroying the track. 

The goblins immediately stopped the cart, barely coming to a halt before the break. Ginny was a bit relieved; although the goblins had been trying to capture her, they were technically the good guys and she didn't want to hurt them. 

Ginny continued on, breaking out once again into the huge cavern with the holes in the floor. She ran her fingers through her hair, wondering what she should do. She eyed the track that went the other way. Since she didn't have any better ideas, she decided to go off that way. 

She flew along the tracks for a short distance, and then saw a small cove. She stopped the desk and noticed that there appeared to be signs of recent work. A table was set up with some papers on it, and a large rubbish bin was set up nearby, filled with various litter. It appeared to be some sort of worker base camp. 

Moving up to the table, Ginny read through the papers, hoping to find some sort of clue of how to get out. She grew excited as she noticed that it was written in English and not Gobbledegook, the goblin language. She read one of the lines: "_Curse tested tunnel 1532, subsection Q2. No result. B. Weasley._" The date on the line was several days ago. 

Ginny suddenly remembered that Bill was here, working for Gringotts... They had been searching for the secret cavern. _Could Bill be down here? _she thought excitedly. It was Sunday... he might not be working today, but she might be able to find someone... she hurriedly scanned through the papers and her breathing grew short as she saw another line... with today's date. The curse breakers were down here and probably nearby. 

She ran over to her flying desk and climbed aboard. _They have to be ahead... they just have to be, _she thought desperately. She didn't know how much time Harry had, but time must be growing short. 

Ginny was just about to fly off when she heard a loud roar come down the tunnel – a familiar roar. Fear filled her as the sound sparked a memory about Gringotts – a rumor that everyone heard, but often people doubted. However, the rumor had to be considered confirmed now. 

The goblins did indeed use dragons to guard their highest security vaults. 

* * * 

Harry sat in his hiding spot once again, sighing as he waited for something to happen. He tried not think too much about what was to come, but he couldn't help it. Every story he had ever heard about Voldemort ran through his head, and they all had one thing in common: almost no one lived against him, except for a single incident that no one truly understood, when his mother had sacrificed herself and caused Voldemort to lose his body. 

True, Harry had dueled Dumbledore to a draw, but that wasn't under life or death conditions. And there was no getting around the fact that even Dumbledore couldn't defeat Voldemort in the last war. 

Harry tried to keep his focus on the goal... stall for time, give Ginny a chance to bring back help. It wasn't necessary to defeat Voldemort; only to play a defensive battle. Glancing around the room at all the boulders, Harry saw a lot of opportunity to keep Voldemort off-balance. 

Some time later, a group of seven hooded wizards appeared at the end of the room opposite Harry, apparently by Portkey. They appeared to inspect the room, then moved apart and waited. Harry's scar gave a painful twinge, causing his breath to grow short, as he suspected who was coming next. He was proven correct as Lord Voldemort appeared among the Death Eaters, causing a thrill of fear to go down Harry's spine. 

Voldemort seemed to glide as he moved into the marble-floored part of the room, his black robes billowing through the air. He scanned the large space, his head moving slowly, and somehow unnaturally smoothly. Stopping at the pool of water, he held his hand out, spreading his skeletal, pale fingers. The water began to ripple, then swirled around, faster and faster. A funnel of water formed above the surface, slowly reaching out toward Voldemort's hand. 

The water touched his palm, and he tilted his head back. Harry had no idea what he was doing, but Voldemort appeared to be drawing something from the pool. 

Voldemort slumped slightly as the water fell away from his hand, falling back into the pool without any ripples. The water became a mirror surface almost instantly as he backed away slowly. Six of the Death Eaters surrounded him, then they walked to the side of the cavern, the side opposite where Harry had come in originally. 

_Good, _Harry thought, _He isn't going to talk to the goblins yet._

The seventh Death Eater waited until Voldemort and his followers entered the tunnel, then pulled back her hood. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry felt a surge of hatred fill his mind at the sight of her. 

She moved over to the pool, kneeled down and cupped some of the water in both her hands. Raising it to her lips, she drank the water, acting like a religious ritual. Harry watched the process, wondering what he should do. This might be a chance to capture Bellatrix, making his job that much easier... 

Making his decision, he rose silently from his position behind the rocks, but Bellatrix spotted some movement as she looked up sharply. She rose to her feet and pulled her wand all in one motion. Harry launched a powerful stunning spell, but Bellatrix moved aside, dodging the spell gracefully. 

"Potter!" she snapped, then screamed, "_Avada Kedavra!_" 

Harry threw himself to the side, dodging the spell as he ran toward the pool. He needed to end this quickly, before Voldemort heard the commotion and came back. He threw a barrage of Bludgeoning spells at her. She blocked several of them, but two got through, knocking her off her feet. She cried out in pain, holding her shoulder. 

She rolled back to her feet quickly and took cover behind one of the pillars next to the pool. "Well, baby Potter managed to escape from the goblins. Do you miss your little Godfather, Potter?" 

A rage built in Harry as she suddenly stepped out from the pillar and launched another Avada Kedavra curse. Harry, momentarily distracted by her taunting, just managed to dive behind his rock again. 

Harry anger grew overwhelming; he decided it was time to stop messing about. He ran across the room, getting an angle on Bellatrix. 

"_Adfectus Anfractum!_" he shouted, hitting her with the manipulation spell, the spell he had used on Malfoy. Despite his guilt over using it before, he wasn't feeling particularly guilty about using it now. 

Bellatrix froze in mid-motion, locked into place by Harry's spell. He forced her hand open, letting her wand drop to the ground. Her face showed naked fear as Harry walked over to her, an utter loathing filling him. 

"So," he said to her coldly. "Am I baby Potter now? Maybe I couldn't do a Cruciatus curse on you before, but I'm positive you know what I could do to you now." 

Again temptation filled him, the same temptation as he'd felt with Lucius Malfoy, to punish her for what she did to Sirius... what she did to Neville's parents... 

And then he remembered Ginny's words. _You looked like Tom Riddle_, she had said. This is what Riddle would do, kill people with no regard to justice. Is that what he really wanted to become? An executioner? 

Harry blew out a breath, regaining control over himself. Picking up her wand, he backed away and released her from his spell. He immediately cast a binding spell, tying her up tightly with rope. 

Bellatrix laughed mockingly. "This is why you will lose, Potter. Your mercy with Wormtail led directly to the rise of the Dark Lord. You don't have the stomach to kill. How do you plan to kill my master? Will you show him _compassion_ to death?" 

Harry ignored her as he burned her wand into ashes, causing Bellatrix to screech in rage. He levitated her body and began floating it toward the door, intending to put her in another cell. He was to the side of the room when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He spun around, letting Bellatrix fall unceremoniously to the stone ground with a loud thud. 

"Careful, you bloody..." she said angrily, followed by a stream of expletives. 

Voldemort had returned into the room, staring at him with an expression of shock. The other Death Eaters seemed taken aback as well. Harry assumed a dueling stance, preparing himself to dodge if anyone launched a killing curse. 

"Well! Potter. Apparently you escaped from the goblins. Congratulations. Welcome to my humble abode, as they say," Voldemort said, gesturing around the room, an expression of amusement on his face. "I must thank you for delivering yourself to me." 

High pitched laughter emitted from his throat, giving Harry chills. "I must say I'm somewhat astonished," Voldemort continued. "In fact, I'd say it was unprecedented. My enemies don't normally commit suicide by coming back to me once they've escaped." 

Harry thought quickly. If Voldemort was in the mood to talk, then the longer he could keep him talking, the better. "I had no choice. There is no way out of here. You would have found me sooner or later." 

Voldemort gazed at him, almost seeming to stare into him... he could sense probes into his mind... Harry used Occlumency techniques, pushing him back. He hadn't tried any since last year, but it was much easier now... his defenses felt much stronger, despite the lack of practice. 

"How very Gryffindor of you," Voldemort chuckled. "Keep me busy, while your friends attempt to escape. Of course, you would have let your friends out. The goblins will pay dearly for not informing me of that." He gestured to three of the Death Eaters. "Find the other four and bring them to me." Three of the Death Eaters hurriedly left the room, the hooded figures glancing at Harry as they passed. 

Harry almost tried to stop them, but there was nothing he could do without prematurely starting a fight with Voldemort. He had to trust his friends to stay low. Except... Harry crossed his arms, putting his wand under his arm pit, but staying ready if Voldemort attacked. "_Invocarem_," he mumbled. He felt a tingle from the wand glow, indicating that his signal was sent to Ron, Hermione and Lupin. 

"It's only a matter of time, Potter. You will be interested to know that Aurors are madly searching for you a hundred miles away," Voldemort said with a cold grin. "I even had a report that Dumbledore was on the scene." 

_Keep him talking, keep him talking, _Harry thought to himself, as he felt the glow subside. "How'd you know that I was coming here?" 

"You may thank Bellatrix for that," Voldemort said conversationally, gesturing at the bound form of Bellatrix, as though she were tied up quite often. He didn't seem to be in any hurry to kill Harry. "With the death of Sirius Black, she felt it was inevitable that you would eventually take a special trip here to inspect his vault. We only had to wait, and you would come to us. The best sort of plan, wouldn't you agree?" He laughed. "Though, I must say that you took an annoyingly long time to come. I finally let the goblins try and capture you, then a few of my own followers. 

"We could have captured you last summer when you accessed your own vault, but, unfortunately, Ragnok decided to meet with you. It was also much riskier with all the extra Aurors about, protecting the students. Yes, we had to be patient, and you played into our hands perfectly." 

"But Lucius Malfoy contested the will!" Harry said. 

"Yes, the idiot," Voldemort said, annoyed. "He was in Azkaban, so did not know the plan. Fortunately, he failed." 

"What is all this?" Harry said, gesturing to cavern, not really caring all that much, but hoping Voldemort would keep talking. 

"We're just having a _nice _little chat, aren't we, Potter?" Voldemort said, clearly amused as he glided toward the reflecting pool. "If only we had some tea and crumpets. But why not? 

"So why all this? An excellent question. This place is the key to winning the war. I actually created all this before the first war, and it was almost operational," Voldemort explained. "It took a fair amount of research, I must tell you. I'm quite proud of it. I created what few other wizards have made throughout history, and what no one has done on the scale that I have done it. One wizard found the secret that you'll know by name... Nicolas Flamel, the creator of the Philosopher Stone. What's amusing is that he and others like him didn't even know why it worked. Only I know the answer to that particular mystery." 

"Why what works?" Harry asked. _Please keep talking..._

"Why the Philosopher Stone can turn any base metal into pure gold," Voldemort replied. 

* * * 

Lupin, Ron and Hermione sat out of sight, occasionally watching a goblin pass by. They had found a very good hiding spot, behind some large boulders far away from the nearest equipment. No one could sneak up on them, and they had a good view of anyone who might approach, so they had decided to wait there until they received Harry's signal. 

"I can't imagine what all this could be for," Hermione said musingly. 

"It is an odd puzzle," Lupin replied. "The goblins have been worried about some sort of problem with the banking systems. I can only assume that this complex has something to do with it." 

Ron sighed. "Wish we had eaten lunch _before _getting captured." 

"Ron! How can you think about your stomach at a time like this?" Hermione said, irritated. 

Just then, their wands began glowing. They all stared at the wands, then at each other, knowing that it was time to do their part. 

"Ready?" Lupin said grimly, as he got up from his spot. Ron and Hermione got up as well, nodding their heads. The area appeared clear, so they moved out. They encircled the area, avoiding a few groups of goblins they saw. At last they found a long line of the large storage bins. 

"This looks like a good place to start," Lupin said, studying the line of bins appraisingly. 

"Perhaps if we all use a jacking charm at the same time, we can tip these over," Hermione said. "That ought to create a bit of a mess and hopefully the sound will tip them off that something's amiss." 

Ron nodded. "The Death Eaters will _have_ to come and investigate. We probably won't have much time before someone comes; we better do all these quickly." He gestured at the line of bins. 

They raised their wands, invoking a charm that lifted the edge of the bin. A loud creaking sound came up from the bin as it tipped on its edge, then fell, creating an enormous crash that echoed throughout the chamber. A green liquid gushed out, flooding the floor. 

The three flinched at the noise, glancing at each other, then ran to the next bin. They tipped that one over, creating another loud clatter. This time, a black, powdery substance fell out, mixing with the green liquid. 

Down the line the went, doing bin after bin. As they tipped the last one, they saw some goblins shouting at them from the other end of the bins, just beyond the mess. They were eyeing all the spilled materials warily, apparently afraid to try and cross it. 

Three Death Eaters joined the goblins. Curses flew from their wands, and Ron, Hermione and Lupin fired back as they all took cover. They could see the Death Eater starting to circle the mess, heading toward them. 

"Didn't take them long, did it?" Ron said. 

"No," Lupin said grimly, as they began running. "Remember, we want to avoid direct battles; just cause as much trouble as possible. We better keep moving." 

* * * 

"You created a Philosopher Stone?" Harry asked Voldemort, wondering what gold had to do with anything. 

"Not exactly – the Philosopher Stone can turn metal into gold, as well as create immortality for the owner," Voldemort replied. "I created a more specific process to turn lead into gold. In fact, I have Muggles to thank for the method." 

"Muggles?" Harry said, shocked. 

"Yes, ironic, isn't it? The Muggles provided me the means to destroy the wizarding world. During my search for immortality, I studied many things. Both magic knowledge and Muggle knowledge. Specifically, the Muggle sciences of physics and chemistry. Muggles are far more advanced in understanding the nature of materials. 

"Wizards are a superior race to Muggles, but there is a downside. Magic makes us intellectually lazy. Muggles, without magic, are much more motivated to understand why things are the way they are. 

"Do you know what is the difference between lead and gold, Potter?" Voldemort asked, his thin eyebrows raising on his pale, bony face. 

Harry shook his head, interested in spite of himself in what Voldemort was saying. 

"Four protons. Of course, Muggle technology is not advanced enough to remove protons out of the nucleus of an atom, and it's not a simple problem for magic, either. But that's the problem I solved. Once I understood the nature of chemistry from Muggle science, I was able to combine the two, develop spells that worked at the subatomic level." 

"All right," Harry said. _So far, so good. Keep him talking more, _he thought. "But how does this destroy the wizarding world?" 

"Economics, Potter," Voldemort continued. "Wizard currency is based on a gold standard. Flood the wizard economy with gold, and you wreck trade. Galleons become worthless; no one can buy anything. Without commerce, nothing can function. Aurors can't be paid. Citizens panic. The government falls. There are no functioning organizations to stand against me." 

Harry's head buzzed, trying to understand everything he was being told. Ragnok's words came back to him, _A war is not only fought on the battlefield_. "The Order of the Phoenix will continue to fight you." he said quietly. 

"Yes, I expect Dumbledore to fight to the end. But that brings us to the prophecy, does it not?" Voldemort asked. 

"What about the prophecy?" Harry asked guardedly. 

"It says, '_The one _with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord.' Dumbledore knows that he can't win. It's prophesied that only you can. But what is the rest of the prophecy? You know the rest of it. I've felt your knowledge of it..." Voldemort's eyes gleamed at this. "You've had an irritating habit of escaping from me, and I suspect the reason may be learned from the rest of the prophecy." 

It suddenly hit Harry why Voldemort was talking so much. He feared what he didn't know about the rest of the prophecy. He was afraid to attack Harry again. "Do you really think I'm going to tell you? But I'll tell you this – you can't win," Harry lied. 

Voldemort laughed derisively. "A poor bluff, Potter. That's not the way prophecies work. You can be killed by me. The only question is the circumstances required. And I will take the risk today if I have to. But I have a better idea. I will give you a bit of – motivation – to tell me." He laughed high-pitched laughter. 

A chill ran down Harry's spine at that. Voldemort didn't need to tell him that he planned to use Ron, Hermione and Lupin to break Harry and tell him the prophecy. Fortunately, Voldemort probably didn't know that his friends also knew the prophecy. He tried to send telepathic thoughts to them: _Please, be careful._

* * * 

Ginny flew cautiously along the tracks, expecting a dragon to jump out any second. _Please, let me find the curse breakers before I find the dragon, _she thought anxiously. As if the thought had triggered the action, another huge roar echoed down the tunnel that sounded closer – much closer. She abruptly stopped the desk in a panic, her breathing coming in short gasps. The dragon sounded quite angry about something. 

Taking a deep breath, she continued flying down the torch-lit tunnel. An odd smell permeated this part of the passage, a rank, reptilian smell. She cautiously moved forward, coming around a corner – and there it was. 

The dragon was thirty feet long with a huge, spiked tail. An enormous collar was around its neck, and it was chained to a large, iron post. It glanced at Ginny sharply and then an unmistakable look of hunger came into its eyes. Its great head swung toward the platform and bumped a large dish, about three feet in diameter. Apparently, the dragon was hungry and expected Ginny to feed it. 

She stood hesitantly back, just watching the dragon, feeling overwhelmed with everything. How could she get past a dragon? Much less a bloody _hungry _one? 

Abruptly the dragon seemed to grow irritated with Ginny's lack of feeding action. It roared with impatience and lunged at her, hitting the end of the chain with a loud SNAP. It breathed an enormous wall of fire, ending about ten feet from her. A blast of heat hit Ginny as she screamed, spun the desk around and flew backwards around the corner to safety. 

An involuntary shaking took Ginny as she closed her eyes. She just wanted to go home to the Burrow, crawl into bed with her mummy and daddy and cry hysterically. Taking a deep breath, Ginny tried to remember that everything depended on her. _Pull yourself together, Weasley, _she thought to herself angrily. _You don't have the luxury of self-pity right now. If Harry can get an egg from a dragon on a broom, then you can just bloody well get yourself past a dragon in a tight tunnel on a flying desk._

She cautiously moved the desk forward, back around the corner. The dragon's head snapped back over, hunching down aggressively. Ginny considered her options; what spell could she use to disable the dragon? Or something that would keep it busy temporarily so she could fly by. _Hmmm, _she thought musingly. _Why not?_

Raising her wand, she prepared to fly quickly while the dragon was distracted. "_Mucus Chiroptera!_" she shouted, hitting the dragon with a Bat-Bogey Hex. The dragon shook its head violently, snorting and roaring in pain as black objects flew out its nose, growing and transforming. Bats began attacking its face as it stomped around in a panic. 

Just as Ginny was about to fly, the dragon blew out a mighty jet of fire and the bats disintegrated into ash, floating down onto the floor. The dragon snarled in rage, its tail swishing back and forth violently with the spikes looking particularly nasty. 

_So much for that idea, _Ginny thought moodily, as she couldn't help but imagine herself being turned into ash alongside the bats. She thought back to the Triwizard Tournament. Harry had distracted the dragon by flying, but she didn't have enough room to really do that. The dragon would pick her off easily. Viktor Krum had used a Conjunctivitis Curse, but again, in the enclosed space, it was very dangerous to have the dragon thrashing around. Fleur Delacour had hypnotized her dragon, but that was an advanced charm that she didn't know. 

Cedric Diggory had transfigured a rock into a dog... a good solution, since the dragon was hungry. The problem was that transfiguring inanimate objects such as rocks into animate objects was very advanced magic, well beyond her knowledge. 

She studied the space with frustration, trying to will her brain into coming up with a solution. The dragon was pacing back and forth, as if it was trying to will its own brain to come up with a solution to eat her. The vault door it was guarding was much larger than usual; Ginny idly wondered what was so important that it needed to be guarded by a dragon. _I wonder if that's the Malfoy family's vault. A dragon would be about their style._

Actually, she could see cobwebs around the door. Apparently it hadn't been opened in some time. _Wait a minute, _she thought, excitement building in her, _spider webs mean spiders are in here. _It was a lot easier to transfigure a living creature into a different living creature... She would need to do the spell from a distance, which was a bit trickier. Ginny maneuvered her desk along the wall slowly, so as to not spook the dragon, who was a bit calmer now. Spying a relatively fresh-looking spider web, she took careful aim with her wand and launched the transfiguration spell. 

A large dog grew out of the spider web, falling to the ground with a thump and scratching of claws. It took one look at the dragon and began barking. The dragon roared as it turned around to see what was making the noise. It eyed the dog hungrily. 

The dragon's attention distracted, Ginny threw the desk forward, flying very fast. The dragon turned its head, sensing the motion. With lightning speed, it whipped its tail around to swat her out of the air. Ginny dived toward the tracks, the tail just missing her with a _whoosh _inches from her head. 

Ginny felt a blast of fire and heat on her back as she flew down the tunnel, safely away from the dragon. She stopped for a second, breathing heavily, her heart racing in her chest. The dragon had come _this _close to killing her, dog or no dog. 

She felt slightly guilty about the animal, but tried to keep in mind that it wasn't _really _a dog... the dragon would be very disappointed when it turned back into a spider, probably in his stomach. Ginny giggled a little hysterically at the thought, feeling herself losing some control, before she pulled herself back together. 

Blowing out a slow breath, she continued down the tunnel, hoping she didn't run into any more dragon-guarded vaults. 

* * * 

Ron, Hermione and Lupin ran along a set of cages, glancing back occasionally, but apparently they had lost the Death Eaters for now. They ducked behind a pile of rocks, catching their breath. 

"I don't see them anywhere," Hermione said, peering around a boulder. 

"We need to keep our eyes open," said Lupin. After a minute's pause to rest, he said, "Perhaps we should keep moving." 

They left the rocks, moving over to the strange cages. A large funnel was on the top with pipes that ran through the interior, ending with spouts over twelve large bins. A lever was attached to each cage. In each bin was a bar of the strange whitish-blue metal, floating in a purple, oily fluid with red streaks. The fluid seemed to be in motion around each bar as they could see the red streaks moving and swirling. 

"What does this lever do?" Ron asked curiously as he reached out to grab it. 

"Ron, don't touch that!" Hermione snapped, but Ron had already pulled it. A bolt of lightning rained down from the ceiling with a loud CRACK, hitting the cage and causing it to glow. Ron leaped back in a panic, emitting an involuntary yelp. 

"Now look what you've done!" she said angrily. 

"Yes... look at what was done, indeed," said Lupin curiously, staring into the cage. 

Each bar had been transformed in some way. Most were now misshapen lumps with yellow streaks, but two of the bins now held a gleaming gold bar. 

"Is that..." Ron said in a whisper, pointing at one of the bars. 

"Yes. Those bars appear to be pure gold," said Lupin thoughtfully. "And, now that I think of it, I believe the previous bars might have been lead. Apparently Voldemort has set up a factory to transmute lead into gold." 

"That's why the goblins are so upset!" said Hermione with a stunned expression. 

"What? Why? I thought the goblins liked gold," asked Ron, confused. 

"They like gold when they control the supply," said Lupin. "But if Voldemort can manufacture great quantities of gold, then that devalues Galleons, potentially causing runaway inflation. It would destroy the wizard economy." He paused, his face falling into a grim look. "It's even more important that we destroy this place. Come on, let's see what else we can find." 

Ron and Hermione nodded as they moved out. 

* * * 

Ginny flew up the tunnel, hoping she was getting close. She felt like a wreck after crawling through tight ducts, climbing caverns, fighting bad goblins, fighting good goblins and fighting a bloody dragon on top of it all. Her muscles ached and her body flared with pain from all the cuts she had suffered from the goblins. 

She came around a corner into an area with floating balls emitting bright lights. _Floodlight charms, _she thought excitedly, her heart starting to thump in her chest. Did goblins use them? She had no idea, but she recognized them from visiting Bill in Egypt. The balls were lighting up a large cove with several small tunnels leading off the main tunnel. 

Parking the desk, she picked the nearest tunnel, breaking into a run despite her exhaustion. Ginny emerged into an oval cavern about a hundred feet wide with loose gravel strewn about. She felt her heart soar when she saw a human man waving his wand along the stone wall. 

"Are you a curse breaker?" Ginny asked, out of breath. 

The man's eyes grew wide as he saw the blood all over Ginny from the goblin cutting curses, as well as her disheveled appearance. 

"Are you all right?" asked the man with concern. 

"_Are you a bloody curse breaker or not? Answer me!_" Ginny snapped impatiently. 

"Er... yeah... but what are you doing down here?" asked the man, perplexed. 

"Is Bill Weasley here?" Ginny demanded. 

"Um... in the other cavern..." he started. 

"Take me to him, _now! _It's an emergency!" Ginny said, cutting him off. 

The man hesitated. "Maybe we should find you an infirmary..." 

Ginny pulled her wand, her patience gone. "_I'm his bloody sister,_" she shouted. "_Take me to Bill Weasley right now, or you'll be wearing your bloody arse for a hat! MOVE!_" 

The man held up his hands, staring at her wand. "All right! All right! Take it easy... he's just over here... blimey, you Weasleys are high strung..." 

The man scurried down the tunnel, with Ginny following, wanting to prod the man in the back to make him go faster. 

* * * 

Voldemort cocked his head, appearing to listen to something in his ear. His eyes widened as he appeared extremely angry. He spoke in a low voice to the other three Death Eaters who left in a dead run from the room. 

_Ron, Hermione and Lupin must be causing some trouble, _Harry thought with a bit of satisfaction, but tried to keep his face neutral. It was just Voldemort, himself and Bellatrix now. 

"For reasons I'm certain you're aware of, I have no more time for you, Potter," Voldemort said coldly. He reached into his robe and pulled out a wand, stained very dark, almost black. 

Harry watched the wand warily, wondering if it was the special wand that was attuned to himself. It definitely didn't look like the wand Voldemort had before... 

"_Avada Kedavra!_" he screamed. 

Harry dived to the side and rolled behind a boulder, the killing curse shattering a large chunk out of the rock. He rolled back up to his feet and ran along the edge of the massive cavern, trying to keep large boulders between himself and Voldemort. 

But he had seen something. The curse... it had seemed to arc toward him, as if the spell was somehow drawn to him. But Avada Kedavra wasn't supposed to behave like that... Shaking himself, he returned his mind to business. _Need to get him to launch more killing curses, _he though, recalling that he could only do so many of them before he weakened himself. 

Spotting a large boulder, he ducked behind it. "_Concussium!_" Harry shouted, sending a compression spell. Voldemort raised his wand, shielding himself. The spell struck him, rocking him back on his heels. 

"Well done, Potter," he said coldly. 

"Do you know that I dueled Professor Dumbledore to a draw?" Harry shouted at him, hoping to get him talking again, to stall for more time... 

"Yes, a _friendly _duel," Voldemort said contemptuously, moving silently toward Harry's position. "We shall see how you do when the stakes are a bit higher. Still, I give you credit... few doubt that you are a powerful wizard, Potter. But I have defeated powerful wizards before." 

Harry kept moving, keeping the boulders between himself and Voldemort, not giving him a chance to get a fix on him... 

"Your father was a powerful wizard," Voldemort said smoothly. "And he quickly fell to me... as you will... why do you run, Potter? It's because you know you can't win." 

Harry had a sudden thought... would it work? If it did, he might be able to get Voldemort to waste his Avada Kedavra spells. Perhaps it was time to borrow a page from Hermione's book. 

Running behind an especially large boulder so that Voldemort couldn't see him, he whispered a spell, one that he had learned from Hermione. "_Illusio Corpora!_" he cast. 

Harry looked over and saw the back of his own head, looking in the same direction as himself. He raised his hand and saw a fake illusionary Harry raised his hand as well. _If it fooled me, maybe it will fool Voldemort for a few minutes..._

"Come now, Potter. I grow weary of these games," Voldemort said, annoyed. 

"Fine, then," Harry said and stepped out from behind his rock, raising his wand. 

"_Avada Kedavra_!" Voldemort shouted. He was pointing his wand at the illusionary Harry. 

Even though Voldemort was pointing at the wrong body, Harry made a show of dodging the spell, hoping that Voldemort would continue to be fooled. Again, the spell arced toward him, but it oddly arced toward the illusionary body. However the wand was attuned to Harry, it seemed to also be fooled by the illusion. 

Harry ran through the room, cutting a corner. Voldemort launched three more killing curses in rapid succession, which might have hit Harry, had he been visible in his own body. 

"Very clever, Potter. Clever indeed," Voldemort said suddenly. He pointed his wand up in the air and cast a spell. Sparkles rained down from the ceiling, causing Harry real body to glow, and then the illusionary Harry disappeared. "As I thought. An illusion charm. Well, Potter, I can't deny you're entertaining. But it's time to end this... 

"_Avada Kedavra!_" he shouted at Harry, who was far too exposed. Nothing happened as Voldemort realized that he had performed too many killing curses in too short a time, and was too drained to do another one. He appeared furious as he launched a different curse at Harry. 

The curse arced through the air, directly at Harry who rolled away while blocking it with a shield spell automatically. The spell deflected, hitting one of the pillars surrounding the pool, causing it to collapse and fall into the water. 

Harry ran away, wondering how Voldemort was making the spells draw toward his body. It was giving him a huge advantage. But, so far, Harry was managing to draw the duel out, using up time. 

Voldemort shot a powerful curse. Harry dodged while he put up a shield, but he wasn't able to move away fast enough because of the strange arcing effect. The spell partially slipped past his defense and hit his left arm. It instantly froze, ice forming on the skin. 

"Agh!" Harry shouted, clutching his arm as extreme pain shot through his limb. Voldemort laughed cruelly. 

Harry cast a warming spell, trying to get it back up to temperature, but the damage was done. His hand felt numb and his arm tingled with painful intensity. 

"You can't win, Potter. I was the most powerful wizard that Hogwarts had ever seen, and that was before I modified myself to become even more powerful..." Voldemort called to him coldly. 

Blocking out the pain, Harry noticed Voldemort standing next to the pool, giving him an idea. He shot a pulverizing spell at a stone pillar, his aim perfect as it split and began to fall. Voldemort had to quickly move and push the pillar out of the way. With his attention distracted, Harry launched a barrage of very fast-moving bludgeoning spells. 

Voldemort moved quickly to block them, but was too late as they slammed into his body, knocking him off this feet, to the ground. Pressing his advantage, Harry launched a lethal crushing spell. It was too late, however, as Voldemort deflected the spell from the ground, directly back at him. Harry threw himself to the side as the spell rushed past, hitting a boulder and reducing it to a pile of sand. 

Voldemort climbed to his feet, then cocked his head, appearing to listen to another report. "So," he said coldly. "Your little girlfriend is in the ventilation shafts. After I kill you, Potter, I will have a special fate for her, I promise you." 

Rage and fear built up in Harry. Without thinking, he stepped out and aimed at Voldemort. "_Avada Kedavra!_" Harry shouted, wanting the whole nightmare to end. 

A green light leapt out of Harry's wand, but was very pale and weak compared to Voldemort's or even the Death Eater's killing curses. Voldemort dived out of the way, Harry's curse hitting the marble floor and chipping the surface. 

Voldemort laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the chamber. "That was a miserable excuse for a killing curse, Potter. It's not enough that you want to defeat me, personally. You have to _want to kill_. But then, we know that's your weakness, do we not? Even as I try to kill you, your compassion prevents you from truly wanting to kill someone. Your _love _makes you weak." 

* * * 

"Look," Ron said, pointing from behind some rocks where they were hiding temporarily. About fifty yards ahead, six Death Eaters were talking together. As they watched, the Death Eaters split into two groups, one group heading directly for them. 

"It appears we have a few more searching for us," said Lupin. 

"How about in there?" Hermione said, pointing to a nearby tunnel. They were able to duck into the tunnel without the group of Death Eaters seeing them. They ran quickly down the corridor, making several turns before breaking into a large room. 

The three stopped abruptly, the room bathed in a very bright yellow glow. They gazed in awe at a neatly stacked pile of gold bricks, along with a bin on wheels containing a loose pile of Galleons. 

Two wooden boxes with elaborate runes also stood in the room. One box was large, about five feet tall and ten feet long with many smaller boxes jutting out seemingly at random. A slot was open at one end, which was next to the pile of gold bricks. At the other end was a ramp that led to the other box, which was much smaller. It appeared to have goblin writing all over it. Out of that box was a spout, which was next to the wheeled bin. 

Ron walked over wide-eyed to the Galleons and grabbed a handful. "Bloody hell, there's a fortune here!" 

"It looks like this box transfigures the gold bricks into Galleons," Hermione said musingly, gesturing to the large box. 

"Yes, but what's particularly interesting is the small box," said Lupin. "What many people don't know about Galleons is that they are magically imprinted for counterfeit protection. That small box, if I'm not mistaken, is a magical imprinter. Voldemort must have some deeply placed operatives to gain one of those." 

Lupin raised his wand. "Stand back," he said. Ron and Hermione moved out of the way. He pointed his wand at the each box, and, mumbling an incantation, reduced each one to a pile of rubble. For good measure, he then started casting vanishing spells on all the broken pieces. 

"Right then. That should shut them down for awhile," he said with satisfaction. "At least as far as passing off Galleons. The gold is still a problem, of course." 

Hermione raised her own wand and aimed at the Galleons. She cast a spell, and the Galleons began melting into a gold slag. 

"Augh, that's painful to watch," Ron said with a grimace, looking as though he was calculating what sort of broom he could have purchased with the large pile of Galleons. 

Hermione chuckled and patted his shoulder sympathetically. "We better keep moving," she said. 

They continued on through another tunnel and found an exit back into the pit. "Well, it looks as if we lost the Death Eaters," Ron said. 

"Yes, but it's only a matter of time before they find us. There's six of them and three of us; we'd better think of a way to distract them on a larger scale," said Lupin. 

* * * 

Harry's left, non-wand arm flared with pain from his freezing injury as he fought a pitched battle, trying to draw it out, make it take as much time as possible. Voldemort was clearly getting irritated; he was launching extremely powerful spells, but Harry was mostly successfully blocking them or dodging them. 

Voldemort aimed his wand away from Harry, who wondered in confusion what he was aiming at. Voldemort launched an odd red spell that made a spiral pattern through the air, which Harry didn't recognize. The spell appeared as if it was going to miss, but relentlessly curved toward Harry, who tried to block. His shield spell was slightly misaligned, allowing some of the spell to penetrate 

A large gouge was ripped from his wand shoulder, causing Harry to cry out in pain. He ran backward, blood pouring down his side. He ran behind a boulder and cast a bandage spell, which also helped to quickly scab the wound. Thinking back, he finally recalled what the spell was, sending a chill down his spine. It was a ripper spell that would have torn his body into pieces if it had hit him directly. 

Harry thought desperately, trying to think of a way to make some progress in the battle. He had noticed that Voldemort didn't seem to be handling frustration very well. The longer the battle went, the more wild his spells were becoming, making it somewhat easier to stay out of his way. Harry suspected that Voldemort wasn't used to drawn-out duels; he appeared absolutely enraged. 

_Maybe that's a tactic I can use, _Harry thought, _keep him angry, off-balance._ A memory came back from the Ministry... Dumbledore employed a similar tactic to make him angry. 

"Well, Tom, the battle seems to be taking longer than you thought," Harry shouted. 

Voldemort froze. "Do not call me by that name," he said furiously. 

"And what will you do about it, Mr. Riddle? Kill me twice?" Harry shouted back, as a sort of madness seemed to take hold of him. 

"There are many ways to die, Potter," Voldemort said, launching another hex. Harry blocked it. 

"Perhaps, but you haven't been very successful so far with the simple ways," Harry shouted, launching a barrage of bludgeoning spells at the same time. One slipped through, hitting Voldemort in the side, knocking him backward. He clutched at his ribs, Harry hoping that he might have broken a few. 

Hiding behind another boulder, Harry watched Voldemort launch a huge fireball, but again aimed it off to the side. The fireball shot out, then began curving toward Harry, coming at him from the side. He realized it wasn't going to hit the boulder... 

Harry raised his shield in time, blocking most of the fireball, but some slipped through as he felt the side of his body and clothes catch fire. Harry cried out once again, casting a fire extinguishing spell, putting out his shirt and trousers. One side of his body flared with pain, including the side of his neck and face. Both felt as though he had suffered some severe burns. 

Harry pushed the pain in his body out of his mind. _Have to keep him off balance... _He raised his wand, preparing a spell. "You know, Tom, I found a letter to your mother that you left in the Chamber of Secrets." 

As Voldemort physically jerked at that, Harry decided to return the favor with a ripper spell. Voldemort raised his shield, but he had been distracted by Harry's words. The spell partially penetrated as Voldemort let out a high pitched, squealing cry. Pinkish blood began pouring out of a wound in his hip. He waved his wand, casting some sort of spell at the wound. 

"All right, Potter. I'm letting you get me too angry. It's time to end this," Voldemort said grimly. 

He abruptly aimed his wand high above Harry's head. A beam of red light erupted from his wand as he swept it up at the ceiling. Rock exploded out of the top of the cavern. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for Harry as he dived out of the way, rolling on the ground and pointed his wand up in the air. 

"_Deflectimenta!_" Harry shouted. The shower of boulders began deflecting away from him, as if he had an invisible umbrella over his head. Harry immediately turned his attention back to Voldemort, who was launching another curse at him, which Harry managed to block. 

Harry rose back to his feet, but a final boulder about three feet wide fell about ten feet from him, hit another boulder and bounced straight toward him. Not seeing it until the last second, Harry tried to dodge, but the boulder smashed into him, knocking him down and rolling over his leg. 

"Augh!" Harry shouted, feeling the bones crushed under the weight of the rock. He levitated the rock and threw it off himself, but his leg was badly broken. Voldemort laughed at him loudly, echoing through the chamber. 

"Well, Potter, I suppose this is it," he said. 

_No, it's not, _Harry thought grimly. He tapped his wand on his leg and cast, "_Ossa Rectus!_" An unbelievable pain filled his leg, far worse than the original injury, causing him to scream out loud, clutching at his leg as it violently straightened. 

He gritted his teeth and cast the second spell. "_Ossa Fusum!_" His leg burned for several agonizing seconds, as if the bones were melting and fusing inside the skin. At last the pain stopped, and miraculously, all the pain in his leg was gone. Harry leapt to his feet, his leg healed from the use of the emergency bone repair spell that Dumbledore had taught him. 

Voldmort's eyes narrowed. "Impressive, Potter. Very impressive. Not many wizards know that pair of spells, much less can do them." 

Harry's leg was healed, but it felt very odd, as thought his foot wasn't attached completely straight. The damage with the crushed bones was much worse than Dumbledore's injury; apparently there were limits to what the spells could do. He was able to continue running, but his limping movements were much more awkward. 

Another spell rocked him back on his heels, as another of Voldemort's curses seemed to strangely track Harry's movements. The curses were getting too obscure, too targeted, and Voldemort's wand was giving him an incredible advantage. He only needed to get his curses in Harry's vicinity, but Harry had to be perfectly accurate. 

He squeezed his wand with frustration. He had scored some hits on Voldemort, but he was taking much more damage than he was delivering. Harry felt himself losing the battle, as though it was only a matter of time... 

Suddenly a memory came to Harry... of all people, Snape's cold, irritated voice filled his head... "_Treat everyone as a deadly enemy, and dispatch them as soon as possible! Are you so arrogant that you think you can choose the moment of defeat? The longer a duel goes, the more likely your opponent will find a way to beat you._" 

Snape was right. He had to end this. He may or may not be equal to Voldemort in power, but he was definitely not equal to him in knowledge and experience. Eventually, Voldemort would find a spell to defeat Harry. 

Running to another part of the chamber and taking cover to give himself some time, Harry thought frantically, trying to exhort his memory to give him an answer. He needed something powerful... but something obscure, that Voldemort wouldn't expect, and thus wouldn't have a ready counter-charm. Harry glanced around the large chamber, looking for something that would give him an idea. He noticed many tunnels branching off from the main chamber. Some appeared rough, but others were smooth... 

And then... he remembered a spell. It was one of the most powerful ones he knew. It was very, very risky. But it was a devastating, destructive spell. It was the mountain tunneling spell used for large scale construction. 

He had practiced it in Dumbledore's Library... it had been frighteningly powerful, causing some very large stones he had played with to violently vaporize into dust, and that was on the lowest power setting. He hadn't dared try the higher power settings. The big disadvantage was that it had a draining effect on the wizard. It concentrated the wizard's power, causing a loss of magic for up to several hours. If he tried this, it would be all or nothing. If it didn't work, he would be helpless. 

The book also had some warnings against very powerful wizards using the spell at high power settings, because of potential damage to the casting wizard... 

High pitched laughter ran through the cavern. "Well, Potter? You're the one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord. I give you credit for surviving this long, but isn't it time to fulfill the prophecy? I promise you a quick death. Let us end this. You cannot win; even your mother's ancient sacrificial magic wasn't enough to defeat me." 

Harry closed his eyes tightly, fear welling up in him. Mad-eye Moody's voice came to him, from his birthday party. "_Ninety-five percent of his job is done if everyone fears him. People cower and don't fight back. But you didn't cower. You did what you had to do. Luck had nothing to do with your fighting back._"__

Gathering his courage, Harry stepped out and faced Voldemort. 

* * * 

"You know, I have an idea," Ron said, peering at the long line of huge cauldrons. "This ought to make a huge mess." 

"What are you thinking?" Lupin asked. 

"These cauldrons. Almost like dominoes, wouldn't you say?" Ron replied with a grin. 

"Yes," Hermione said slowly, her grin spreading out on her face as well. "I think that could make _quite _a mess. If we sever one of the legs..." 

"Let's do it," Lupin said. "But I think we'd better make certain we're far away from this when they go." 

"Perhaps after cut the leg, we can use a reinforcement charm, but also add a timed _Finite Incatatem_ so that it releases after a set amount of time," Hermione said, pondering the problem. 

"Excellent," Lupin said, smiling. "You two make a pretty good team, you know that?" 

Ron and Hermione blushed, smiling at each other. 

They moved over to the first cauldron in the line, glancing around carefully for any goblins. The base of the cauldrons had three thick, iron legs. Lupin began cutting the leg adjacent to the next cauldron using a cutting spell. 

"Ten minutes sound about right?" Lupin asked. 

Ron and Hermione nodded. When it was almost cut through, Lupin cast the temporary reinforcement charm, and then finished cutting the leg. The cauldron moved slightly, but the charm held. 

"Right then. I think we better get out of this pit, _now..._" Lupin said now, moving out. 

They began sprinting towards the spot where they had originally climbed down into the pit. Just as they started climbing the path, three Death Eaters appeared and began chasing them. 

"Bloody hell, just what we need..." Ron said as they ran up the path. 

Curses flew around them as the Death Eaters tried to pick them off. Ron, Hermione and Lupin hid behind some boulders along the path, launching hexes at the Death Eaters, who also decided to take cover. 

Ron grinned suddenly. He aimed his wand at various boulders between themselves and the Death Eaters. He cast a spell, lifting them up and causing them to roll down the path. More and more stones began rolling at them. 

"Now! Run!" Ron said, gesturing to Hermione and Lupin, who began running. Ron ran backwards, continuing to roll rocks at the Death Eaters, who were taking cover from all the large rocks bouncing around them. 

As Ron levitated another rock, he saw a Death Eater taking careful aim from around his boulder at Hermione's back. 

"Hermione!" Ron shouted. He moved in front of her, pulling the stone in front of him. A green jet of light flew out of the Death Eater's wand, striking the rock just as Hermione glanced back. The rock exploded into gravel, covering Ron's chest. 

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked as they continued running. "That was... that was..." she couldn't finish. 

_Avada Kedavra, _Ron finished to himself, breathing heavily, trying not to think about what had just happened. 

They finally reached the top. "How much time is left?" Ron asked. 

Suddenly, they heard a huge crash and ran over to the edge. The first cauldron had collapsed, leaning against the other cauldron, which was just starting to move. Cauldron after cauldron tipped over, an immense amount of material flowing through the corridors, flooding all the equipment. They saw the Death Eaters running back down into the pit, apparently wanting to save the equipment. 

The cauldron liquid reached some of the material from the bin that had been tipped over earlier. A huge bubbling flew up from one area, while huge sparks erupted from another area. Another area exploded, sending material flying to other parts of the pit. 

"Erm, is it... dangerous down there?" Ron asked nervously. 

"Maybe we should move away from this," Lupin said slowly, backing away. 

Ron and Hermione quickly followed as they began running into the area with the huge boulders, the way they had come in. Suddenly, huge lightning cracks rained down into the pit. The three turned around and watched wide eyed as electrical bolts struck the pit over and over, causing the ground to shake. They kept running, diving behind a particularly large mound of rocks as the whole place seemed to erupt in one, final tremendous explosion. 

Smoke and dust filled the air as they huddled behind the rock pile, waiting for the echoes of the blast to subside. 

"Whoa," Ron said with a grin. "Well, I guess we wreaked a bit of havoc today." 

They cautiously walked back toward the edge of the pit and peered over the side. The whole bottom of the pit had been leveled into a red, glowing sludge, with an occasional gold streak here and there. 

* * * 

Harry gazed coldly at Voldemort. The pain in his body seemed to fade away as he concentrated everything he had... he had to imagine the stone pulverizing for maximum effect. He prepared himself to use the maximum spell power, there would be no second chances... 

"_Silicis Demolirum!_" he shouted. He felt something welling up within him... strong, terribly strong... 

Voldemort's face went through a variety of expression in a split second... confusion, recognition, and then... fear. He waved his wand and dropped into a crouch, a white translucent shield surrounding him. Harry recognized the spell... it was a bunker shield. It was the strongest type of shield; he would be immobilized, but it was very difficult to penetrate, almost impossible... 

He held his wand pointed at Voldemort, it took several seconds for the spell to build up. It was growing stronger and stronger within him... it was almost... painfully strong... and then a blindingly bright blue light burst from his wand, spreading out and hitting the floor around Voldemort. 

A huge explosion of rock and gravel flew up in the air. Dust flew around violently, being blown back as though by a big wind. A roaring sound filled the chamber as Harry could see a cavity forming behind Voldemort, a tunnel forming. The bunker shield was holding, though was beginning to glow slightly red. 

The power continued to grow within Harry; the spell had apparently only been warming up. He could sense something within him, violent and raging, almost as though it wanted to break his body apart as it traveled through his chest and his right shoulder, causing his arm to shake violently... his wand was hot, he could feel it starting to burn his hand... 

The beam grew brighter still, the tunnel behind Voldemort growing into a huge cavern, large rocks were now getting thrown around the chamber. One huge stone landed inches away from Bellatrix's head, who screamed out loud. Harry could barely hear her through the deafening sound of pulverizing rock. Another stone flew through the air, destroying the golden serpent fountain. 

Voldemort's shield was glowing even brighter, the red spreading across the front. _This has to work! _Harry thought desperately, the pain growing more intense... 

The power continued to increase, the pain becoming unbearable... _It's too much, too much, TOO MUCH..._ tears burned his eyes as his arm shook uncontrollably, feeling as if his body couldn't possibly hold together. His hand felt as though it had burned to his wand; he could smell the damage... Harry heard himself screaming out loud in agony, yet he kept his wand on Voldemort, it was his only chance... 

He saw a small, red line form on Voldemort's shield... and then another... and another, spreading across the front. It was cracking... Harry didn't know how much longer the spell would last, surely not much longer, but he had to keep his concentration. He ignored the pain and redoubled his efforts, concentrating everything he had... he imagined the cracks growing, concentrating the spell... the beam seemed to narrow, training on Voldemort more effectively. A spider web of cracks now ran across the front; the lines were glowing brighter... 

And then Voldemort's shield failed. 

A hole formed in the surface and Harry could see blue light fill the bunker as it completely collapsed. Voldemort screamed a high pitched wail as the spell ripped into his body, just as Harry could feel his tunneling spell start to run out of power. Voldemort flew through the air, a shower of pink blood surrounding him. One of his arms was severed as it flew through the air with him. He hit the back wall and collapsed into a heap. 

Harry's spell stopped completely. Voldemort got to his feet, his wand arm missing. Strange pink blood was pouring out of his shoulder and from dozens of deep wounds around his pale body. He reached into his robe and pulled out a different wand with his remaining hand. He tapped his injured shoulder, a fire blazing out and cauterizing the wound as he let out another high pitched, horrible scream. Harry tensed, preparing to dodge quickly if Voldemort tried to spell him, but instead Voldemort looked toward Bellatrix. 

"_Accio Bellatrix!_" Voldemort shouted. Bellatrix flew toward him and fell before his feet. He reached again into his robe. They both disappeared, apparently by activating a Portkey. 

Harry stood for another few seconds, then collapsed to the ground. Pain flared throughout his body; his hand felt as though it was fused into a lump with his wand. He lay on the cavern floor for some time, slipping in and out consciousness. 

And then... he heard something. Odd, small footsteps were coming into the cavern... inhuman footsteps... 

Harry's body howled in agonizing protest as he tried to rise, finally willing himself to stagger to his feet. Goblins were peeking around the corners of the tunnels. One launched a cutting curse at him. He tried to block it automatically, but his shield charm barely activated... he had nothing left. The curse hit him in the side as he felt a stab of pain; he could feel blood starting to flow. 

The goblins moved cautiously into the chamber, more and more of them. Harry felt a moment of panic. He couldn't fight them, not with his magic so drained. If they'd only waited a bit more time, given his magic time to recover... 

"Stand back!" Harry shouted threateningly. "I'll kill the first one of you that comes near me!" 

Most of the goblins fell back at that, but one of them shouted back boldly, "You used a tunneling spell, didn't you? Goblins know that spell, wizard. You're weak now." 

"Who wants to be the first to try me?" Harry shouted back, but a little panic started to rise in him. He didn't know how long he could maintain this bluff... 

The bold goblin stepped out. "Let's test you, wizard." He waved his hand at Harry, launching a cutting curse. Harry tried to dodge instead of using his wand, his body responding about as well as his magic had. 

"Why do you move instead of using your wand?" the goblin said with a smirk. 

The other goblins began moving toward Harry. He thought frantically, there had to be something he could do... but without magic, the goblins could easily kill him. 

"The rewards will be great for the goblins who kill Harry Potter," the goblin said, a malevolent smile on his face. The smile seemed to spread among the other goblins as they continued to move closer. "Well, wizard? If you're going to kill us, best hurry up and do it." Loud goblin laughter followed this statement. 

Fear filled Harry... how could he survive a battle with Voldemort and then die like this? He glanced around desperately, trying to find an exit, but goblins were blocking all the exits. Harry ran to the farthest point of the chamber and hid behind a large rock, blocking him from the cutting curses. 

He bent down to pick up a rock, but his right hand was useless and burning with pain. He picked up the rock with his weak left hand, the arm damaged from Voldemort's earlier curse, and threw it at the goblins. It was his only chance, but they laughed at his pathetic attack. He threw another rock that almost hit a goblin in the head, but they were still coming, surrounding him. 

Cutting curses began flying. Harry shielded his face and eyes, as he could feel more and more sharp pains from the cuts, his clothes growing wet from the flowing blood. Dizziness filled his head from the loss of blood on top of his injuries he had suffered from Voldemort. He staggered and fell to the stone floor. He heard the goblins moving closer... 

Suddenly, a loud explosion filled the room as a wall of the chamber collapsed. Harry peered over and saw a large number of goblins and humans pouring into the room, and at the front was... he couldn't believe it. He must be dreaming... 

It was Ginny. She charged recklessly into the crowd of goblins moving toward Harry, her wand flinging curses right and left. Goblins flew through the air violently, one hitting a wall with a brutal crunch. The murderous look on her face was positively frightening as the other goblins decided to run. 

Harry felt himself drifting... Ginny leaned over him, her face full of concern. Harry gazed up at her... he was fading away... or was he already gone? She was so beautiful... was he dying? She was safe, thank God, she was safe... maybe Ron, Hermione and Remus were safe, now, too. He had to tell her one last time... 

His lips parted, and Ginny leaned down closer to hear. Harry whispered, "I love you, Ginny..." 

As Harry finally lost consciousness, he decided that, if it was his time to die, he was happy that she would be the last thing he saw on earth. 

* * * 

_A/N: Once again, thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	33. Chapter 32 Promises of the Future

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Chapter 32: Promises of the Future_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

_Voices were buzzing around him... _Harry floated in semi-consciousness, barely feeling a part of his own body. He felt extremely weak, but even that vaguely coherent thought took too much energy. Harry wondered hazily where he was; he couldn't remember anything recent. _Voices around him... _Finally deciding it took too much effort to think, he tried to listen to the voices, which were near him... 

"He's a tough bloke, that one," someone said. "Amazing he survived." 

"Did you hear the rumors? They say he dueled You-Know-Who wizard-to-wizard – and won!" someone else replied. 

"The Ministry's trying to keep it quiet, but supposedly the Daily Prophet is going to put out a special edition." 

"Merlin's beard, look at him. Poor boy..." 

"Believe it or not, You-Know-Who got the worst of it." 

"Worse than that?!" 

"Yep. An Auror friend told me that You-Know-Who lost his whole bleedin' wand arm! The war's not over, but I'm feeling a lot better about things, you know?" 

"Perhaps... but how much more can Potter take? It seems so unfair that a sixteen year old boy has to be such a target." 

"No one ever said You-Know-Who was fair. But if anyone's up to the task, it's him. Anyone who can stand toe-to-toe with Dumbledore and You-Know-Who in the same month is made of sterner stuff than anyone." 

Harry fell back into unconsciousness. 

* * * 

Ginny sat on a chair beside the hospital bed, watching Harry's chest rise and fall as he slept. Tears had been flowing regularly from her eyes, although at the moment she felt somewhat calm. His broken, battered body looked horrible. One side of his body and face had severe burns, and were currently covered with a glowing, green salve. One of his legs had been re-broken and set; the Healer wizards had been very worried that he might be crippled. 

His left arm had suffered some severe nerve damage from a freezing spell, and his right hand had to be almost re-grown. Both were currently immobilized. Angry purple bruises ran across his entire body, as well as many cuts that hadn't yet been healed. There had been higher priorities than mere cuts. 

It had been very touch-and-go for the first twelve hours. Ginny could tell from the look in the Healers' eyes that they didn't think Harry was going to make it. Even though she was deathly frightened, somehow she knew he would pull through. Harry was too strong; she knew that he would never give up fighting to live. He would never allow himself to die at Voldemort's hand. 

She gazed around the enormous, private room. Minister Ragnok had St. Mungo's close off a block of three of the most expensive suites, and then had the walls removed to create one huge space. Ragnok had also called the world's best Healer specialists to Apparate in from all over the world to make certain Harry got the best care. The best burn Healer, the best bone specialist, the best hand specialist... nothing but the best. Supposedly, once they had heard they were working on Harry Potter, they had volunteered their time and refused any sort of payment from the goblins. 

Ginny blew out a long breath. She was close to crying again, so she blew her nose instead. Ron and Hermione had gone down with her family to get a bite to eat; they had asked her to come, but she didn't feel like eating. She didn't feel as though she'd ever be able to leave until she knew that Harry was totally out of the woods and conscious. Hermione had given her a few snacks to nibble on. That was enough for now. 

It was now about thirty hours since the end of the battle. After the Healers had told them that Harry would make it, Ginny had cried with relief against her mum's shoulder, and Hermione had cried on Ron's shoulder, and she thought she might've even seen a few tears in Ron's eyes as well. Ginny finally fell asleep from exhaustion. She awoke ten hours later lying on a waiting room couch, still exhausted, but wanting to see Harry. 

The hospital staff hadn't wanted to let her, but she had vehemently insisted. Ginny suspected that they didn't want her to see Harry in his present state, but she didn't care about that. All she knew was that Harry needed her. Even if he was unconscious, he needed her and his friends by his side. 

Ginny heard a tiny sound behind her, a clearing of a throat, interrupting her reverie. She turned and saw Dumbledore standing at the door respectfully, a tender expression on his face. He slowly walked over and gazed down at Harry. He reached down and held Harry's left hand for a moment, giving it a squeeze. 

He blew out a tired breath, pulling up a chair and sitting with Ginny. She thought he appeared very old and frail at that moment, somehow more human than usual. They both silently watched Harry for a few moments. 

"Hello, Miss Weasley," said Dumbledore softly. 

"Professor," she responded, equally softly. 

"We haven't had a good talk since the end of your first year, have we?" 

"No, sir," said Ginny. She paused, and said, "I never thanked you for your kindness after... that incident. I thought a lot about what you said that summer." 

"Not at all," said Dumbledore. "You were remarkably strong then, you know. And you were remarkably strong now." 

Ginny shrugged, not really caring right now about what she had done. But she did have a question for him, one that had been preying on her mind quite a bit. 

"Sir," she started, but wasn't quite certain how to put it. 

"Yes?" Dumbledore asked. 

"Just... why?" asked Ginny tentatively. Then suddenly all her anger and bitterness seemed to pour out of her. "_Why!_ Why Harry? He is so... good. Why does he have to suffer like this? He's suffered all his bloody life! It's not fair! Who chose Harry to be the subject of that damned prophecy?" 

Dumbledore sighed, looking at her compassionately. "Miss Weasley – Ginny – prophecies don't 'choose' people. They simply tell us what is to happen. Harry has the free will to not meet Voldemort. He could run away to a deserted island. He could hide in a cave for the rest of his life. But that's not what is to happen. 

"He will embrace the responsibility because that is his nature. The same nature that led him to try and save Sirius, and to save you from the Chamber of Secrets. He is the one because only someone like him, who is brave, powerful, and yes, intrinsically good, can defeat Voldemort." 

Ginny could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Harry's battered body, knowing that Harry would gladly pay the price again, even the ultimate price, if it meant ridding the world of Voldemort. 

"Harry is not alone in this," Dumbledore continued. "He is at the center, but we all have a vital role to play. He needs the love and strength of all his friends, but he needs yours perhaps most of all." 

"I know," said Ginny, her tears starting to flow freely, the words tumbling out of her. "That's why I'm crying now. I don't want him to suffer anymore, but I know that he's going to have to before all this is done. I need to cry it all out now, because he needs me to be strong for him when he wakes up. I don't want him to wake up to crying over his pain, I want him to wake up to happiness over him living." 

Dumbledore rose and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. He gazed upon Harry for another few seconds, then left. Ginny gently touched Harry's face, trying somehow to take away some of his pain, then put her head down on his bed and wept silently. 

* * * 

Harry slowly woke, feeling a little stronger, but still very weak. He opened his eyes, seeing a dimly lit ceiling above him. He was in a bed, but he wasn't quite certain where; his recent memories felt very fuzzy. Had something happened? 

He turned his head, seeing a large, mostly empty room around him. A huge arrangement of flowers was in a corner. Terrible memories abruptly came back to him... Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Remus... they were all in trouble. A feeling of panic came over him; he couldn't remember what had happened... Harry heard himself make a low noise as he struggled to move, but he was too weak to rise... 

"Harry?" a voice said softly. A hand stroked his hair. He turned to the source of the voice and relief filled him as he saw Ginny standing next to the bed. And next to Ginny were Ron and Hermione. He saw Ginny's reassuring, gentle smile, and knew that everything was all right. Ron and Hermione were smiling, too. The tension left his body as he relaxed. 

"Ginny?" he asked weakly. "Ron? Hermione?" 

"Yes, Harry, we're all here," Hermione said. "Everyone is all right. Professor Lupin is fine, too. He'll be here soon." 

"How do you feel, mate?" Ron asked. 

"Okay," Harry whispered in reply. He actually felt very numb all over and had no idea how he really was. He felt himself slipping back into unconsciousness, but fought to stay awake a few more seconds. "Where am I?" he said, really wanting to know. 

"St. Mungo's," Ginny said, still stroking his hair. "They're taking really good care of you, Harry. You can just rest. There's nothing to worry about. Everything is fine." 

_Everything is fine, _he thought, the words giving him comfort as he fell asleep again. 

* * * 

A few days later, Harry reflected that he was feeling a lot better, although still somewhat weak. He still couldn't walk; the bone Healer had told him that it would be a few weeks before his leg could bear weight. Apparently the combination of the crushing injury with the emergency healing spell had made quite a mess of his leg. 

The rest of his body was continuing to heal as well. When he'd finally managed to look in a mirror, he'd been appalled by his appearance. The Healers assured him that he'd have no significant lasting scars, except for perhaps a few in unnoticeable places. Harry still had visions of looking like Mad-Eye Moody by the time it was all done, however. 

He'd had a steady stream of visitors, including Remus, the Weasleys, Tonks, Mad-Eye, and even his Auror friends, Page, MacGregor and Blackhorn. He'd also had many visitors from the school; Dumbledore had arranged for a special Portkey between the hospital and Hogwarts, and Harry was very grateful. Dumbledore had visited him a few times, but had begged off answering any questions, saying that he wanted to verify a few more facts. 

Remus had looked almost hesitant about visiting, and had apologized profusely for not preventing the Gringotts attack. Harry had been quick to reassure him that he held him blameless, that no one could have anticipated what had happened. 

Ron, Hermione and Ginny were currently off at class, although they spent all their free time with Harry, even bringing their homework. Hermione had set up a few work desks in the spacious room, causing Ron to roll his eyes to Harry's amusement. Harry's hand and arm were still too damaged for any significant work, and truth be told, he wasn't feeling particularly up to it. Fortunately, Hermione seemed to sense that he needed a little mental break and didn't push him on that subject. Or perhaps Ron or Ginny had talked to her, he wasn't positive. 

Suddenly his door swung open and a crowd of Hogwarts girls came through the door, carrying a number of boxes. Harry, whose hospital gown didn't cover him as well as he would like, pulled his covers up a little higher in embarrassment. 

Parvati, Ginny, Hermione and Lavender walked up to his bed in the lead, while all the other girls crowded around him with smiles, some giggling. There were at least thirty girls in the room. 

"Um, what's going on?" Harry asked nervously. 

"After visiting you yesterday, I noticed what a drab room this was," Parvati said brightly. "I asked for some volunteers to help decorate!" The girls all nodded and the younger ones giggled shyly some more. Ginny and Hermione grinned as if they were enjoying the whole thing just a little too much. 

"Erm, all right. I guess," Harry said uncertainly. 

He noticed that they weren't all Gryffindor girls; in fact, as the girls got to work opening up boxes and decorating the room, he noticed with shock that two of them had a Slytherin crest. They looked very shy as they stood away from the other girls a little, but were helping to open the boxes. 

"Ginny, Hermione," Harry called, beckoning to them. They walked over and greeted him. "Erm, are those Slytherin girls?" 

"Strange, isn't it?" Ginny said. "But you'd be surprised at the change around Hogwarts, Harry. Ever since the attack, things have been much less tense with the Slytherins. Apparently a lot of them were afraid of the threats Malfoy had been making, but lately they've been much more open in support of you. When we put out the word for volunteers, they insisted on coming." 

Harry nodded, still feeling a little odd about Slytherins wanting to do something for him, though he had to admit that Silsbee from his D.A. meetings had helped him, too. 

"Do you remember the Sorting Hat song, Harry?" Hermione asked musingly. "It warned about distrusting everyone. I think this year we've seen the houses beginning to pull together against Voldemort." 

"Yeah, maybe," Harry said, not completely convinced. He looked over to the Slytherin girls, who looked innocent enough. They appeared to be fourth years. He recalled the picture of Bellatrix he'd seen at Black Mansion, still young and innocent. Harry wondered if she would have turned out differently, if the houses hadn't been quite as isolated. 

"What are their names? The Slytherin girls?" Harry asked suddenly. 

"The one with blonde hair is Karen, and the brunette is Monica," Hermione replied. 

Harry called out their names. They looked startled, as if they were hoping to stay unnoticed. The two girls walked over to his bed. 

"I just wanted to say thank you for coming," Harry said, giving them a friendly smile. 

They smiled very shyly back at him, both blushing profusely. Finally Monica glanced at Karen and spoke nervously. "W–We just wanted you to know that not all Slytherins are You-Know-Who supporters. Some of us appreciate what you're doing for everyone." 

Harry nodded at them. "You're welcome here any time." 

* * * 

Harry looked up from his chess game with Ron as Dumbledore and Ragnok entered the room. Hermione was off helping Ginny with some OWL revision in the Hogwarts library. Ginny had been reluctant to leave Harry, but she knew that she'd fallen behind after taking care of him, and Hermione was helping her to catch up. Her OWL tests were coming up fast, and Harry had encouraged her to go. 

"Ah, Mr. Weasley. Keeping Mr. Potter company, I see. Would you be kind enough to excuse us for a few minutes?" asked Dumbledore. 

"Um, yeah, no problem," Ron said, getting up from the bed. "See you a little later, right, mate?" 

"All right, Ron. Thanks," said Harry, wondering what was up with Dumbledore and Ragnok as Ron left the room, closing the door. 

"Mr. Potter," said Minister Ragnok, shaking his hand solemnly. "I would have visited sooner, but I wanted to have some answers to give you. 

"First, allow me to extend the deepest and most sincere apology to you over this incident on behalf of the goblin government. I consider it shameful and inexcusable that you and your friends were put in harm's way while under Gringotts' care. 

"And, of course, I must thank you for uncovering Voldemort's plan. If he had succeeded, it would have destroyed Gringotts." 

Harry nodded. "I've been wondering something. Why were the goblins cooperating with Voldemort, if it would have destroyed Gringotts?" Harry looked between Dumbledore and Ragnok. 

"An excellent question, Mr. Potter, and one of the first questions that we asked the goblins that we captured," answered Ragnok. "To be honest, we're still piecing together the puzzle, but apparently the conspiracy extended far beyond anything we anticipated. 

"Voldemort's plan was to wreck the wizarding economy, to flood the market with fake Galleons as well as manufactured gold. This would have caused runaway inflation, triggering an economic crisis. The anarchy that would have resulted would have made it very difficult to raise armies against him. 

"But it wasn't enough to have a method to create gold. He also needed a hidden place where he could not only manufacture the gold, but also quietly distribute it into the economy so that it would not be noticed. In short, he needed Gringotts. 

"So how could he get goblins to cooperate with him? The answer is that he found goblins who wanted more power that they currently held. He made promises that once the wizarding world fell, a new currency would be issued. The rogue goblins would be put in charge of a new Gringotts, to replace the old one. 

"But here is where the story grows much deeper. Voldemort's long-term plan is to rid the world of Muggles completely, to gradually build up a population of wizards to serve him. 

"These goblins apparently had a secret plan to betray Voldemort sometime in the future. Once the human population had been reduced, they desired to remake the Earth into a goblin-only civilization. You see, many goblins blame wizards for the ills of the world. Frankly, there is some legitimate blame there, as I believe Dumbledore would say is a fair assessment." 

Dumbledore nodded his head, apparently content to allow Ragnok to explain at this time. 

"Of course, Voldemort trusted his goblin allies as much as the goblins trusted him, so it's unclear exactly how they planned to overthrow Voldemort. Garnak never met with the leaders of this rogue goblin organization, only with some of the lower members. We believe the leaders are still out there. There is much we don't know, I'm afraid. 

"One last thing, Mr. Potter. All this has had one positive effect. The goblin population is now firmly behind you. Having Voldemort threaten to destroy Gringotts shocked them to the core. They now realize that Voldemort cannot be trusted, and must be defeated." 

Ragnok paused. "In short, we are in your debt." 

Ragnok bowed deeply and exited the room, leaving Harry and Dumbledore alone. Harry's brain buzzed from all the new information as Dumbledore pulled up a chair and sat down tiredly. 

"Well, Harry, how do you feel?" he asked. 

Harry thought about it. "Confused," he said honestly. 

Dumbledore chuckled sympathetically. "I can imagine. Well, I think I have a few answers for you now." 

"Sir, what was that wand Voldemort had? The goblins told me it was 'attuned' to me in some way. His spells seemed to be drawn to me." 

Dumbledore reached into his robe and pulled out Voldemort's wand, handing it to Harry. He turned it over in his hands, noticing that it had some writing on it, inlaid in gold. A chill went down his spine as he read the words: _Harry James Potter, Son of James, Son of Lily._

"That wand makes your victory all the more remarkable, Harry," Dumbledore explained. "Voldemort used an ancient brand of magic called Voodoo that originated in Africa, although it's now primarily practiced in Haiti, and a city called New Orleans in the United States. Voodoo magic has many Dark Arts spells for attuning a magical object to a specific person. 

"They are very difficult spells to master, but when a wand is attuned in this way, it causes the spells to be drawn to the body of the victim. But not only that, it also has an amplification effect. Voldemort's curses, cast with that wand, would have been particularly powerful against you." 

Harry just looked at the wand, gleaming in the light of the room. It was beautiful in its way, obviously made with great craftsmanship. Who had made it? Were there wand makers that supported Voldemort? He supposed there had to be. 

"The good news, Harry, is that Voldemort's plan backfired beyond anything we could have hoped for. Voldemort wasn't taking any chances this time; he obviously made that wand for the specific purpose of killing you. But you not only survived, you also captured the wand. Having that wand in your possession gives you tremendous power over him. 

"I might also say that his, er, severed limb is also quite useful. It was taken to the Department of Mysteries to be analyzed. They believe they may be able to learn something useful about the modifications that Voldemort made to himself." 

Dumbledore's face suddenly fell into a stern frown. "I must say, Harry, that we replayed the spells that you used at the end of the battle. _Silicis Demolirum?_ Do you really think that was... prudent? There's a reason that spell is never used in duels – you left yourself completely helpless. Some would say that tactic you used was reckless and irresponsible." He paused. 

Harry looked down at his bed, feeling abashed. 

"And others would say that only a true Gryffindor would have tried something so daring and audacious," Dumbledore said, his mouth lifting into an amused smile. "I believe I can safely say that Godric Gryffindor would have heartily approved." 

Harry laughed. "Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time, though I had my doubts afterward." 

"Indeed. That was quite the tunnel you created as well, Harry," Dumbledore said. "The goblins measured that it stretched a mile and a half. I believe they are interested in hiring you to do some more tunneling for them." 

Harry snorted. "I don't think I'll be using that spell again anytime soon." 

Dumbledore grew serious again. "Remember this, Harry. What's remarkable is that you were weak and he could have tried to kill you, had he kept his head. But he panicked. Voldemort may seem inhuman, but he still has certain human flaws and emotions. No one has ever stood up to him the way you did, and he did not handle it well." 

There was a long pause as that thought sunk in. "Sir," Harry started. "He's still alive. I almost lost. I hit him with everything I had, the most powerful spell I knew, and he still lived. How can I defeat him? I know you said you would tell me when you felt the time was right." 

Dumbledore looked at him, the wise old eyes looking sad. "Yes. You understand now that endless dueling cannot defeat Voldemort. He is too strong, too knowledgeable, too intelligent. He has taken many measures against dying. If it could be done that way, I would have done it in the last war. Though, I must say, you came about as close to doing it as anyone. 

"You will recall that I told you last year that there was a room in the Department of Mysteries that is always kept locked. That room holds the key to all this, and I believe you are now ready to see what is contained in that room. 

"I did not wish you to have to prematurely fight Voldemort, Harry. But you have now been tested, the ultimate test with the highest stakes, and you passed that test better than anyone could have expected. You've made a remarkable journey this year; your powers have fully flourished." 

A thought occurred to Harry. "Sir, why did you challenge me to that duel?" 

"I felt you were ready. I wanted you to use your power in a pressure situation, or at least, as much of a pressure situation as I could create under artificial circumstances. You needed an opportunity to use your powers to their fullest extent – to spread your wings." 

Dumbledore paused, an oddly pensive look on his face, before he continued. 

"I will tell you the answers you seek, Harry, but not today. You must go back to Privet Drive one last time. When you return to school next year, you will see for yourself what is in the room," Dumbledore finished. 

Harry nodded reluctantly; frustrated that he still did not have any answers, but at least knew that there was a time that answers would be given. 

* * * 

"Well, good night, you two," Hermione said. 

"Yeah. We'll come by tomorrow for breakfast, before classes," Ron said. 

"All right. Thanks for coming," Harry said, smiling. 

Ginny gave them a good bye as well as she began to clean up a bit around Harry's bed. They had all been playing exploding snap and chatting all evening, keeping Harry company, but the hour had grown late. 

"Ginny, you really don't have to stay anymore," Harry said, a bit reluctantly, she thought. 

"I kind of like this enormous room," she said with a grin. "It beats the tiny dormitories at Hogwarts." 

Harry smiled at her shyly, causing her to know that she was making the right decision. He wanted her to stay. She had been sleeping on a folding bed next to him since he had moved to the room, to the consternation of the hospital staff. They had tried to get her to leave, but she had insisted, finally going to Dumbledore and insisting that he do something on her behalf. Dumbledore had been reluctant as well, but Ginny had been persistent, playing on the fact that the last thing Harry needed right now was to be alone, the way he had always had to deal with things all his life. She felt a little guilty for playing on Dumbledore's guilt that way, but she didn't care. It was still true, and finally Dumbledore had talked to the staff, and they had reluctantly agreed to allow her to stay. 

Ginny went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, changing into some modest pajamas that she had brought from Hogwarts. She hadn't lied about enjoying the large suite; in fact, the bathroom had a very large bathtub she wouldn't mind trying. _I wonder if Harry would enjoy a bath rather than those dull cleaning spells, _she snickered to herself, the thought firing her imagination a bit too much. 

She came back out, and Harry smiled at her, looking very happy that she was there. The torches had automatically dimmed as they sensed that the occupants of the room were getting ready to sleep. Ginny sat on the edge of the bed, pulling up Harry's covers as he burrowed down into his pillow, getting comfortable. 

Ginny reached out and touched his face, running her fingers over his nose, cheek and lips. She knew that he really enjoyed being touched in that way. Harry sighed as she leaned down and kissed him passionately, being careful not to put too much weight on him. 

They finally broke away. "Good night, Harry," she whispered. "I love you. Sleep well." 

"Good night. I love you, too," Harry said. 

She got into her folding bed, which was actually fairly comfortable with several thick blankets. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep after all the recent eventful days. 

Sometime in the middle of the night, Ginny awoke, hearing some noises. She looked around, disoriented, and then realized it was Harry. He was thrashing around in the bed in a very agitated way, apparently having a nightmare. 

Ginny got up off her folding bed and sat on the edge of his bed. "Harry," she whispered gently. "Wake up... it's all right." She began stroking his hair. 

His eyes flew wide open. He tried to sit up, but then lay back down with a painful groan. 

"Ginny?" he asked in a panicked voice. "Where are you? Are you okay?" 

"Shhhh, Harry, I'm here. It was just a bad dream," she said in soothing voice. 

"Everyone is... still alive?" Harry asked desperately. 

"Yes, we're all okay. Ron, Hermione and Professor Lupin are all alive and well," she said, her gentle voice calming him. 

"All okay? All okay. Yeah..." Harry said, starting to calm a bit. 

Ginny raised his covers and climbed into bed with him, pulling him closer to her. "It's all right, Harry," she said. "I'm here." 

Harry turned and rested his head on her shoulder. She could feel his breath on her neck; he was breathing very rapidly. Ginny held him gently for several minutes, stroking his head until he calmed down a little. 

"I think this is against the rules," Harry said, sounding slightly amused. 

"To hell with the rules," Ginny said, happy to hear Harry sounding a little more normal as she pulled him to her. Harry seemed to agree with the sentiment as he burrowed closer to her. 

"Thank you for staying with me, Ginny," he whispered. He paused and said, "Not very heroic right now, am I?" 

"Harry, you can't do it all by yourself," she said gently. "Nothing says you have to suffer alone through this." She continued stroking his hair, and then chuckled. "Of all the things to worry about, I don't think you need to be concerned about not being heroic _enough_." 

There was a long silence, until Ginny felt his breathing grow very regular. He was asleep again. Rather than wake him, she shifted a little and got comfortable herself. _To hell with rules, _she thought again, as she drifted off back to sleep. 

Ginny slowly awoke the next morning, feeling warm against Harry's body. She kept her eyes closed, just enjoying the safe, nestled feeling. _I could get used to this, _she thought with a smile. 

She suddenly heard a small snicker. Her eyes snapped open, and, to her horror, she saw her Mum, Dad, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Ron and Hermione all gathered around the bed, watching Harry and her sleep, all with wide grins, although her Mum looked like she was fighting between amusement and disapproval. 

Harry began to stir. "Ginny?" he asked sleepily, opening his eyes, but then they shot open as well as he saw who their audience was. Harry turned red as a beet, and she felt her own face burning as well. 

"Well, I see Harry needed a bit of special attention last night," said Fred. 

"He's looking better already. Does St. Mungo's know about this treatment?" asked George, with raised eyebrows. 

"And to think I was considering bringing an extra blanket," said Fred. 

"We know how cold these rooms can be," said George. 

"But apparently Harry has found his own source of... heat," said Fred. 

Ginny looked desperately at her Mum, but she had her hand over her mouth, apparently fighting back a laugh as well as amusement won out over her disapproval. She would not be receiving any help from _that_ corner. Ginny took a deep breath, and, with whatever dignity she could muster, she casually slid out of the bed, adjusting her rumpled clothes to send the message that, yes, she was fully clothed in her pajamas. 

Later on, Harry ate his breakfast while chatting with the Weasleys. Bill had visited him earlier, but hadn't yet told his side of the story. 

"So I'm curse testing this chamber," Bill said. "The goblins had been really putting pressure on us to find 'something,' but they wouldn't tell us exactly what. I've no idea how much they knew, or if they were just trying to keep things as quiet as possible. I've been working seven days a week. The overtime pay was nice, but I was getting ready to tell the goblins to sod off, frankly. 

"Anyway, I hear this ruckus outside the chamber. Johnny, my curse-partner, runs into the chamber, and who do I see behind him? Actually, Ginny was a little hard to recognize, covered in all that dirt and blood. If it wasn't for the hair, I'd've thought it was a midget troll." 

Everyone laughed, including Ginny, who said, "Afterward, that was the best bath I've ever had." 

"I think you frightened poor Johnny," Bill said with a grin. "You should have seen her, Harry. She had her wand in his back, marching him like a drill sergeant." 

Harry laughed, causing Ginny to break out in a sheepish smile. "Well, I was in a hurry at the time." 

"Actually, I think you got his 'cauldron boiling,' if you know what I mean. He asked if you were attached," Bill said, laughing. "I told him that he had to go through Harry to get to you, and he didn't seem so keen on the idea after that." 

Everyone laughed as Bill continued the story. "So Ginny quickly gives me this cock-and-bull story about You-Know-Who, secret caves, ventilation shafts, and goblin conspiracies, not to mention dragons. My first thought was, 'Fred and George put her up to this.' " 

Fred and George laughed. "Not that it wasn't a good idea," said Fred. 

"To be honest, I don't even think _we _could have come up with something like that," said George. 

"I must have looked a little skeptical, because Ginny then pointed her wand at me, and gave me _that look_, the one she apparently inherited from Mum," Bill said. 

"And it's a right good thing she has," said Mrs. Weasley. "I need the help to keep you boys in line!" 

"Fortunately, Ragnok had given me a way of quickly calling for goblin reinforcements, in case we ever found anything. A number of Aurors were also in the area investigating Harry's disappearance, so they were able to help as well." 

"You know, sis, if you wanted to know how to control dragons, you could have _asked_," Charlie said, teasingly rolling his eyes. 

"Thanks, Charlie. If I ever plan on fighting the dragons under Gringotts again, you'll be the first one I consult," Ginny replied, laughing. 

Harry laughed again, hard, and then grimaced, making a groaning noise as something inside him gave a sharp pain. 

"Are you all right, dear?" asked Mrs. Weasley. 

"I'm all right, but I think you lot are going to finish me off," Harry said with a grin. As they laughed, he felt very close to everyone in the room. Maybe his life hadn't been easy so far, but at that moment he felt very lucky. 

* * * 

Harry sat in his bed, poking at the remnants of his lunch. Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all in class, and he supposed he should start thinking about catching up with his own work. The Healers weren't giving him any answers on when he could leave, and he didn't want to fall too far behind. He suspected that Hermione was dying to bring him some work. 

Abruptly, a knock came at the door. "Come in," Harry said, glancing over curiously. 

The door swung open, and Snape swept into the room wearing his usual sneering expression. Harry tensed up at the sight; of all the people he expected, Snape was pretty low on the list. 

"Professor!" Harry said, stumbling out the word in shock. 

Snape looked about the room, his lip curling into a sneer. "Well, Potter. I see your _fame _has served you well once again. An impressive private room they've given you." 

Harry felt irritation rising. Suddenly he was very tired of Snape's act, and didn't particularly feel the need to be polite. "Do you really think so? I thought it could use a better view," he said sarcastically. 

Snape raised an eyebrow at him. "Indeed. After all, you did manage to play the _hero _to the wizarding world. Every month it seems you find a new way to increase your profile." 

Harry's jaw just dropped at Snape. "You really are a bloody arse!" he said angrily. "Are you seriously suggesting I went looking for Voldemort?" 

"Did Professor McGonagall tell you of increased Death Eater activity or did she not, Potter?" Snape answered smoothly, ignoring Harry's insult. "And did you, or did you not, recklessly venture out, putting everyone at risk?" 

Harry just continued to stare at him, unable to believe what he was hearing. 

"In any case, Potter, I'm not here to point out another of your many flaws. I have brought your Defense schoolwork," Snape said, appearing annoyed at being bothered. "While I'm certain you would prefer to idly enjoy your _luxurious room_, I expect you to complete your studies. You have already fallen quite far behind." He dropped a large stack of books and folders next to Harry's bed. 

Harry burned with irritation. "Do I get extra Defense class credit for dueling Voldemort?" he asked, with as much bitter sarcasm as he could muster. 

Snape stared at him coldly, and then to Harry's extreme shock, his mouth actually rose slightly in the closest thing to an amused expression he had ever seen on Snape's face. 

"Perhaps, Potter. Perhaps." 

As Snape turned to leave, Harry had a sudden thought. Why was Snape here? There was absolutely no reason for him to personally bring Harry the work; he could have had anyone drop it off. Had Snape actually come by to pay some sort of respect? 

For reasons that Harry didn't completely understand, he suddenly wanted to tell Snape something. 

"Professor!" he called, just as Snape was heading out the door. 

Snape sighed with irritation, turning back around impatiently. "Yes, Potter, what is it?" 

"I just wanted you to know something," Harry said, with a neutral expression. "When I was fighting Voldemort. I remembered something you said. It helped. Thanks." 

Snape's face was a mask, as he stood motionless for several seconds, his cold eyes staring back at Harry. He swallowed, but still made no movement. The silence stretched on, Harry wondering what was going through Snape's head. 

Finally, Snape replied, "Well, Potter, I suppose that proves that you listened at least once in my class." With that, he turned and left the room. 

Harry stared at the door for a solid minute. Finally he broke out in a wide grin, and then began laughing loudly. _He really is a bastard to the core, _he thought with amazement. _But at least he's consistent._

* * * 

Harry sighed as he finally finished his Transfiguration essay, glancing forlornly at the still-high stack of work he had to do to catch up. He had finally asked Hermione if she would see about bringing his work to him, and he thought for a minute she was going to dance a jig around the room. She had immediately pulled out a list of his backlogged work, causing Harry and Ron to fight down a laugh. 

Harry was just about to start on his Charms lessons when the door swung open and Ron, Hermione and Ginny walked through the door unexpectedly, all wearing secretive smiles. Ginny was carrying a wrapped package. 

"What's up?" Harry asked, peering at the package. 

"You tell him, Ginny," said Hermione. 

"All right," Ginny said, her smile extending a bit more. "We have something for you." 

"What?" Harry replied. 

Ginny handed him the package, which Harry proceeded to unwrap. He pulled a book out of the wrapping, causing his breath to catch. It was a large leather-bound book with the name 'Sirius Black' on the cover. 

"We asked Ragnok for permission to search the vault for the book, and there it was," Ron said. 

Harry stared at the book, hardly believing he was actually holding it. 

"Thank you for this," he said, looking at each one of them and feeling emotional. "With everything that happened, I forgot about it, to tell you the truth." 

"We'll leave you alone, Harry," said Ginny. "We'll come back later." 

Ginny squeezed his hand, and then they left the room. Harry felt grateful that they understood his need to be alone. He traced the letters of Sirius's name on the front of the book, afraid to open it. Some essence of Sirius seemed to emanate from within the pages. Gathering his courage, he opened the diary to the first entry. 

**9 September 1971**  
_Well, this is my first entry in this diary Andromeda gave me for my birthday. It seems kind of stupid, but I'm bored, though it's been a pretty exciting first week._

_I guess the big news is that I was sorted into Gryffindor. I was afraid to owl Mum and Dad with the news, but I finally did. I got a return owl this morning that just said they were disappointed. I don't know what they expect. I didn't do the sorting. I'm positive my dear brother Regulus will do better when he comes to Hogwarts._

**11 September 1971**  
_My roommate James Potter and I have been studying together. He seems like a smart bloke. It's good to have a friend to study with. I didn't know what Gryffindor was going to be like. Mum and Dad have always told me nothing but bad things about them. So far, I think I like everyone here a lot more than the Slytherins._

_My other roommate, Remus Lupin, seems nice enough, although he keeps to himself a lot. The last roommate is a boy named Peter Pettigrew, who seems all right. A bit mousy, but maybe he's just homesick._

Harry read the entries in fascination, covering Sirius's first year, as he and James grew closer as friends. Eventually they became friends with Remus, and finally Peter. Harry decided to skip ahead to the end. The entries got much more sparse, presumably because Sirius was busy with the Order of the Phoenix. He seemed to only write when something really significant happened. 

**15 January 1980**  
_Great bloody Merlin! Lily is pregnant! And they asked me to be the Godfather! Why, I don't know, because I'm a hot-headed, irresponsible idiot, as Remus will happily explain to anyone. But ask me they did, and I'm only too happy to oblige._

_Promise to self: I'm going to be a proper Godfather. No, really. You'll see. If James and Lily think I can do the job, then I'm bloody well going to live up to the confidence they're putting in me._

_I have plans for this child, oh yes, I do._

**31 July 1980**  
_I would like to announce that Harry James Potter, my Godson, was born this morning. The mother is doing fine, though I'm not certain about the father, who looks a bit peaked._

_He's still young, but even so, I can tell that he looks remarkably like James, except for the eyes – he has Lily's eyes._

_Must sleep now. We were up all night, and Harry didn't seem to be in any hurry to enter the world._

**22 March 1981**  
_James and I bet on Harry's progress, and I usually tease him by betting against Harry, but I expect to lose every bet. There's something about this boy. I know, it sounds like the proud Godfather talking. But the accidental magic he's done... I asked Dumbledore, and even he thought it was remarkable._

_The other day, he was having a temper tantrum, so Lily put him in his crib to calm him down. Well, that didn't sit well with young Harry. He splintered the side of the crib into so much kindling, and then climbed out, smug as you please._

_My Godson, the jail breaker! I'm so proud._

**10 April 1981**  
_I can barely put quill to parchment right now. I can hardly even hold the thought in my mind. Dumbledore called a special meeting tonight with James, Lily and I, without the rest of the Order. He told us that a prophecy had been made a number of months ago, and Harry was one of two children it could apply to._

_He wouldn't tell us the exact wording, but he gave us the gist of it. The prophecy says that Harry might be the only one who can defeat Voldemort. The only one! It's just too incredible. We begged Dumbledore to tell us that it might be a mistake, but he seemed to be certain about it. James and Lily were stunned, as you would expect._

_There are so many ramifications to this. Does this mean all our plans are doomed to failure? That it's impossible for us to win without this special child?_

_And what does this mean to Harry? How can a child grow up with that burden – to know that he is the only one that can stop one of the most powerful, evil wizards in history? How can anyone live with that knowledge? How many people will die until he's ready?_

_And, God forbid, what happens if he's unsuccessful? Would Voldemort win? I refuse to accept that Voldemort might win this._

_Dumbledore told us that James, Lily and Harry must go into hiding using a Fidelius Charm._

_All of our plans are a shambles now. I just don't know what to do._

**1 November 1981**  
_James and Lily are dead. Harry is alive, thank God, but how can they be dead? And somehow Voldemort is gone. It's all too much to understand. I feel like a wreck. Remus is in the other room. I don't even know where Peter is, but by God, I'm going to find him, I promise that._

_Everyone is calling Harry "The Boy Who Lived," a new legend right up there with Merlin. All I know is that I feel as though I should be taking care of him._

_Harry, I love you and will do anything for you. Please forgive me – Dumbledore says it's for the best that you go live with these Muggle relatives of yours. I argued with him, believe me, but we have to trust him. I think he knows more than he lets on – I think he believes Voldemort is not really gone. I think he has a plan for all this._

_Someday I'll make it up to you, I swear. I'll help you in any way I can to shoulder the burden that fate has for some reason given to you._

_If the prophecy says that you're the one to defeat Voldemort, then as far as I'm concerned, I'll bet on the son of James and Lily Potter any day. That's one bet with James I would never take against you._

Harry swiped away a few tears threatening to fall as he closed the book. It was odd thinking that soon after Sirius wrote his last entry, he went after Peter Pettigrew, only to be betrayed and put into Azkaban. 

He looked out the window of his room, a bright blue sky beckoning to him to leave the confines of his hospital room, but the world outside felt very cold somehow. The great drama that was his life seemed to begin in the pages he had just read and then stretched across the years, and was narrowing to a point in the near future. He could feel it... the war was heading inexorably toward a conclusion – soon. 

Harry blew out a slow breath, opened the book again, and read from the beginning. He read of many pranks, and their journey to become Animagi. He read of Sirius's amusement at his father's pursuit of his mother. He read of Sirius staying with Harry's grandfather and grandmother, and Sirius's deep love and appreciation for them. But most of all, he read about a boy with a difficult childhood, who did many great things in the name of friendship, and who suffered a fate he didn't deserve. 

* * * 

_Harry James Potter, Son of James, Son of Lily, the Boy-Who-Lived, dreamed._

_Dark storms thundered above him as he walked around the Hogwarts grounds, the world was so dark... The wind buffeted him to and fro, threatening to blow him away, but he pulled his cloak closer. He came to the forbidden forest, moving along the edge, the dark trees with long branches that seemed to reach out to try and grab him. He could see the castle in the distance, but it was very far away._

_As he walked, his leg made odd crunching noises, as if it was filled with broken glass. Harry fearfully looked around, wondering where his friends were._

_A loud snap drew his attention, causing him to stop and peer into the trees. Was it Voldemort? Or perhaps Bellatrix... maybe they were holding his friends._

_Dumbledore came out of the trees, looking at him sternly. "Mr. Potter! What are you doing out here without permission?"_

_Dumbledore grew taller and taller, towering over the forest. He reached down and picked up Harry, who flew through the air in Dumbledore's grip toward the castle. Harry landed in an open broom cupboard, the door closing and locking behind him._

_"Let me out!" Harry screamed in anger._

_"I will tell you when it is time to defeat Voldemort. Until then, I must insist that you stay in Mr. Filch's broom cupboard until you are needed."_

_Harry banged on the door with his fists and feet, but it didn't budge. He finally pulled his wand, casting a spell and destroying the door into splinters. He ran down the corridor, trying to find a way out. Where was everyone? The castle seemed to be empty._

_He saw Professor McGonagall ahead. "Mr. Potter," she said crisply. "I require your presence."_

_Harry stopped. She was his head of house; he had to do what she said. Harry followed her into a large auditorium, where he stood in the center of the room. The ceiling rose extremely high, up into darkness. There were many, many people in the stands, all glaring at him with contempt._

_"Mr. Potter," Minister Fudge said from the center of the crowd. "Why have you not vanquished the Dark Lord as yet? You've had nearly seventeen years to do it." He pulled out a parchment and began reading. "It says right here. 'Delivered to specification, one Harry Potter, built to order to defeat You-Know-Who.' "_

_Anger raged through Harry at Fudge's implication. "What are you talking about?" he shouted._

_Fudge raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Why do you think you were born, Potter? I would say that the prophecy made your purpose quite clear. I must say, however, that you've been quite the disappointment thus far."_

_Harry looked around, desperation running through him. Where was Ginny? Where were Ron and Hermione? He turned to leave, heading toward the door, but Snape stepped out of some shadows to block his way. Harry felt hatred fill him as Snape stared at him coldly._

_"Well, Potter. Leaving so soon? Are you afraid that you'll not live up to your press clippings?" said Snape snidely._

_"Get out of my way," Harry said threateningly._

_"You are required to stay until we tell you that it's time to fulfill your... function," Snape said smoothly._

_"And what if I don't want to?" Harry said. He could feel his wand in his hand._

_Snape emitted a cold laugh. "Whatever made you think this is about what you want, Potter?"_

_"Accio Firebolt!" Harry shouted, calling for his broom. It flew through the door, coming to a stop near him. He mounted the broom and flew up into the air, higher and higher, finally seeing a tiny opening at the top of the auditorium. He flew straight out into the night air._

_Great rains from a storm poured down on him, soaking him to the core as he flew away from the castle. Suddenly a gust of wind caught him, blowing him at incredible speed across the land and finally over the ocean. Harry gripped the broom tightly, but it was finally ripped away from him. He could see it flying away from him, end over end, as he fell toward the water._

_He finally hit the ocean with a hard splash, and Harry swam to the surface. Fear filled him as he floated on the ocean, tossed about like a cork. He desperately tried to swim, but the power of the current was too much for him as he frantically called out for help. Despair filled him, as he could see no land or boats, just an endless view of deep, cold, black sea water. None of his limbs seemed to be attached quite properly, nothing was working right..._

_Harry washed up onto a dirt road, bright sunshine overhead. Oddly, he seemed to be dry now, and there was no sign of the ocean. He rose from the ground, peering down the tree-lined road, and began walking. He stopped, seeing motion in the trees. He heard a strange giggling and rustling, then quiet. He continued walking, feeling a little fearful, wondering what the strange creatures were._

_More rustling and giggling followed him as he hiked down the road. Finally he came to a rather large, white house. Seeing motion in the third-story window, Harry peered up, but whatever it was had disappeared._

_He cautiously moved up to the door, which was slightly ajar. The door opened smoothly before him as he looked through the threshold. A bright, cheerful interior greeted him as he entered the house. Pictures of a family lined the walls, and he could see a family clock similar to the Weasley's in the corner._

_"Hello?" Harry called out. He waited, but there was no answer._

_Harry slowly moved through the house; everything was very clean and bright. He stopped, hearing the strange giggling in the back of the house, in the rooms ahead of him. Finally he came to a white paneled door with an old-fashioned crystal door handle. Whatever was making the sound was behind the door._

_Fear filled him as he debated with himself whether to open the door or not. He placed his hand lightly against the wood; it felt strangely warm and vibrant. Harry wanted something behind that door, but he was afraid to take it._

_Finally he knew he had to risk it. He had to open the door._

_He slowly turned the handle. The door opened, revealing a wide wooden porch that opened up to a large, grassy outdoor garden area. He saw beautiful flower beds lining a large lawn, and then he heard the giggling again..._

_Ginny was sitting in a wicker chair on the porch. She got up, giving him a beautiful smile. She was wearing a white summer dress, her fiery red hair cascading over her shoulders. Her bright brown eyes seemed to shine at him with laughter, arresting any lingering fears._

_Moving up to him, she put her arms around him gently, embracing him lovingly. Harry put his arms around her as well, feeling an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness. He belonged here. He was home._

_They turned to the garden, Ginny leaning her head on his shoulder. He could finally see what was making the giggling sounds... many children were playing on the lawn. Several children were playing Quidditch, tossing a ball back and forth. Two were sitting at a garden table, playing chess, while another boy was chasing a girl around the garden, laughing. Harry noticed that many of the children had black hair, and many of them had red hair, and some had brown eyes, and some had green eyes..._

* * * 

Harry awoke, lying in his hospital bed. He just lay for several minutes in the dim light of the room, thinking about the dream. Feelings and images from the final part filled his head, he could almost feel Ginny still in his arms. Harry glanced over at Ginny, who was asleep on her folding bed. 

He reached over, touching her cheek. She opened her eyes, smiling at him, but then looked worried, apparently noticing something about his expression. 

"Harry, are you all right?" she asked, sitting up on her bed. "Did you have a nightmare?" 

Harry hesitated before answering. "Sort of..." 

Ginny moved over and sat next to him on the bed. "It's all right," she said gently. "It's over now. You don't have to tell me what it was." 

Part of him wanted to keep the dream to himself, but another part surged powerfully. "I... want to tell you this dream." 

Ginny looked a little surprised, but smiled reassuringly at him. "All right." 

"It... it started as a nightmare. That part doesn't matter. But then it changed..." Harry paused again. "I was walking down a road and came to a nice house. It was somewhat like the Burrow, but maybe a bit more... reliable," Harry said with a small smile. He noticed that Ginny seemed a little startled at that for some reason. 

"Anyway, I went into the house. I was afraid at first, but I heard a lot of giggling and playing. I went to the back of the house, into the back yard... and then... I saw you. And... children playing," Harry stopped, feeling very embarrassed. "I think the war was over." 

He could see tears welling up in Ginny's eyes, making him grow more emotional. He swallowed and forced himself to continue, wanting to get it all out. 

"And... I was happy," Harry continued. "Sometimes... sometimes I don't think it's possible to be happy like that. But in the dream..." 

Ginny watched him quietly, just letting him talk. Harry wanted to ask her a question. He knew how it would sound, but he didn't care. He had to know. 

"I think... I think they were our children. Ginny... do you think it's possible... someday... to be happy... like that?" Harry asked, looking her in the eye. 

Ginny smiled, and then reached over and took Harry's hand between hers, holding it warmly. "Yes, Harry. I think it's very possible." 

* * * 

_A/N: Just the Epilogue to go. For the second to the last time, thanks to my beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM. Please review!_

_New chapter notifications and sometimes even a little discussion are at my Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


	34. Epilogue

**_The Awakening Power_**  
**_by Sib_**  
_Epilogue_

_A/N: Harry's sixth year, after OotP. H/G, R/Hr, PG-13 rating._

* * * 

Harry walked around his room at the Dursleys, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy at finally being able to leave. It was a week before his birthday, and he was due to be picked up by the Weasleys in about an hour. 

Dumbledore had said this was to be the last time he was to stay at the Dursleys, and he fully planned on holding him to his word. Harry was about to turn seventeen, an adult in the wizarding world, and he didn't care what type of protection he got from being in the Dursley's house. Whatever it was, it wasn't worth it, and he was never coming back. He was packing to leave forever. 

_Not that there's much to pack, _he thought musingly. Harry had surprisingly few possessions from living there for sixteen years, as though he had only been a weekend hotel guest. And maybe that wasn't far from the truth. 

He picked up a picture of himself, Ron and Hermione, taken in his third year. It was one of his favorites; it never failed to make him laugh. Ron and Hermione wore angry expressions as they exchanged some words, and then would suddenly turn away from each other huffily. Harry in the picture would roll his eyes occasionally at the two of them, as they continued their eternal argument. But every so often, if you watched the picture long enough, Ron and Hermione would give each other a glance and smile shyly at each other. 

Harry gently placed the picture into his trunk, and began packing his other pictures as well. 

It had been an odd summer, somehow. Harry had been released from St. Mungo's two weeks before the end of term, just in time for his final exams. All the extra time in bed had actually paid off, academically speaking. He hadn't had much to do, so had been concentrating on his schoolwork. 

Riding the Hogwarts Express back to King's Cross, he had felt a lot different about things. Finally meeting Voldemort and facing him wizard-to-wizard had put his life into a strange perspective. Suddenly, Voldemort wasn't a mysterious force out in the ozone; he was a man, just like him. A very powerful man, a man who had made radical changes to himself, an evil man, but still a man. 

The feelings carried into the summer... a sense that he was part of an elaborate dance; one of two central performers surrounded by many other players, and the end of the dance was approaching. Harry didn't know how the dance was to conclude, only that a conclusion was inevitably coming soon. 

The Dursleys had been their usual snide selves picking him up. In past years, he was angry, fearful, lonely... a host of emotions. This year, he simply felt muted, resigned to the fact that it had to be done. Uncle Vernon berated him all the way home, trying to get a rise out of him, but Harry had simply stared out the window of the car. Somehow after meeting all the challenges that had been thrown at him this year, his aunt, uncle and Dudley just didn't seem all that important anymore. 

Not that he didn't miss his friends terribly, of course. Harry had been writing numerous letters to Ginny, Ron and Hermione. He and Ginny kept a running letter going back and forth; Harry wondered when Hedwig was going to rebel at all the travel, but she seemed to be pleased that Harry was communicating so much this summer. 

Harry pulled all his clothes out of his drawers and packed them into his trunk. He sighed, wishing it was another week later, and he'd be able to legally do magic. If he could do that, he'd have a little personal ritual and burn every ill-fitting hand-me-down that had ever been given to him. He'd thought about just leaving the clothes, but he decided to bring them with him and burn them later. 

As he packed his clothes, Harry reflected on the thinking he'd been doing over the summer. With his feelings came a sense that it was time to take some control over his life. He had to trust that Dumbledore had a plan for everything, but Harry had some goals of his own. 

A plan had formed in mind, and along with the plan was a sense that many people wouldn't be too happy with it. Finally he decided he just didn't care who was happy with it, how dangerous it was, or anything else. For once in his life – perhaps for the _only _time in his possibly-to-be-short life – he was going to do what he wanted to do. 

Harry was going to go on a holiday for his seventeenth birthday. He was going to travel, and he was going to take all the Weasleys and Hermione with him. 

Harry had written to Ginny with his plan, and she had embraced it wholeheartedly and excitedly. He had expected her to support him in his decision, although he had to admit to a little relief that Hermione hadn't rubbed off on her, and she didn't try and talk him out of it. 

He had then written to Ron and Hermione. Ron, of course, was very excited by the whole idea. Harry had written Hermione a much longer note, trying to head off her objections up front. Her return letter had come very soon afterward, and as expected, she was very reluctant about the idea, wondering if it was sensible to risk a trip at this time. Harry patiently wrote back to her and told her that he was willing to take the risk. 

The next step had been to convince Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to allow him to pay for the trip, which he didn't expect to be easy. He had written them a letter, explaining that this was his birthday present, and that he wanted them to be with him: the best birthday present they could give him would be to allow him to take them. Ron and Ginny were to work on them as well. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had written back after a few days, finally agreeing to go, and thanking him profusely. Later, Ginny wrote and told him that it had taken quite a bit of convincing. Letters to Fred, George, Bill and Charlie were next on the invitation list, and all agreed to join the trip. 

Harry had then debated with himself about inviting Percy to join everyone. He wasn't certain of everyone's current feelings. Percy wasn't his favorite person, but there had been very little news of him the last year. Harry suspected that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would love to have him along, to help mend some fences. It was worth it just for that reason. 

Finally deciding to get Ginny's opinion, Harry sent her off a note. She immediately wrote back and told him that if he could get Percy to go, they would all be behind him. 

So Harry sent a letter to Percy, which he rewrote about ten times before getting something he liked. It was somewhere between friendly and formal; he gave Percy a quick rundown on what he was doing and why, and that he would really enjoy seeing him again. The latter was perhaps a bit exaggerated, but it was worth it to make Mr. and Mrs. Weasley happy. 

A week later, just when he thought Percy was going to just ignore the note, he received a reply. 

_Dear Harry,_

_Although we haven't been in contact much over the last few years, I have followed what has transpired with You-Know-Who. I want you to know that even when I doubted your story, I still didn't want any harm to come to you. I've learned a lot about the world – and myself – the last year._

_I would be very happy to join you on your holiday, and thank you for thinking of me. I hope you will forgive my mistakes._

_Sincerely,_

_Percy Weasley_

The last step had been to contact Dumbledore and tell him his plans. Although he technically didn't have permission to leave the Dursleys' for his birthday, he was going to do it anyway. He owed an explanation to Dumbledore. 

The first note he wrote outlined his plans, explaining that he needed to experience a bit of 'real life' for a change. The reply from Dumbledore had been swift in return; he had recommended strongly against it. 

Harry closed his trunk as a bit of the irritation he had felt at the time came back to him. Dumbledore hadn't understood – Harry wasn't asking permission. Perhaps it would be safer to sit in Dumbledore's office the rest of his bloody life, but it was time to take control of things. He was not Dumbledore's tool to be used at his whim. 

Harry had made himself wait an entire day before forming his reply, so it could be as reasonable as possible. But at the same time, he'd felt ready to apply some of his own pressure on the world. If the world wanted him to save it, then the world could just bloody well give him a few things in return. 

His return letter had been blunt. He would certainly listen to any suggestions to minimize the risk, but he was going anyway. Harry had never used his fame or political power in any way, but he felt it was time. He told Dumbledore to call the Ministry and arrange security if he was concerned. 

Dumbledore's next letter had a note of resignation. His only request was that Harry spend his holiday on Krybonisi, a hidden wizard-only Greek island. Because the spells that hid it from Muggle view also provided for security for visitors, it would be very difficult for Voldemort to attack the island directly. Dumbledore had also included a travel brochure with his letter, apparently hoping it would convince Harry. 

The more Harry had read through the brochure, the more he liked the idea. The best part was that brooms were allowed anywhere on the island, since it was hidden from Muggles. He had studied Apparation theory during the previous school year, but wouldn't take his test until he got back from the holiday, so independent transportation sounded really good. Anyway, Ginny was a year too young to Apparate, and Ron and Hermione wouldn't turn seventeen until later in the year. 

Harry immediately wrote a pile of letters, telling everyone the plan. In the letters to Ginny and Hermione, he had asked them to book the hotels and organize everything, something they had been only too pleased to do, he recalled with a chuckle as he dragged his trunk downstairs. 

Reaching the entry hall, Harry placed his trunk next to the door. He glanced at the wall clock; the Weasleys would be picking him up in fifteen minutes. Harry hadn't actually told the Dursleys he'd never be coming back. Harry smirked, figuring he'd tell them at the end of the next school year. First, he didn't want to deal with any sort of good-byes. He had no clue what say to them. Second, he preferred they live with the thought that he might be coming back. 

Walking into the kitchen, he saw the Dursleys sitting at the table. Uncle Vernon looked up from his breakfast, giving him a glare, while Aunt Petunia ignored him, and Dudley appeared to not even notice him come in, being too involved in eating his breakfast while watching morning cartoons. 

"Well, boy. I suppose you're leaving today. Good riddance to you, I say," he said. 

"Yup. Off on holiday to a Greek island for a month," Harry said casually. 

"Greek island? What's this nonsense?" said Uncle Vernon angrily, he face turning red from increasing blood pressure at the idea of Harry having fun. 

"Oh, didn't I tell you? I'm taking the Weasley family and my friend Hermione to a Greek island," Harry said, fighting down a smirk. 

Uncle Vernon's eyes narrowed. "_You're _taking? With what money?" 

"Oh, just part of the fortune I inherited from my parents six years ago," Harry said, a grin coming to his face despite his best efforts. 

"Fortune? _Fortune?_" Uncle Vernon said, his jaw dropping. 

"Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that, too." 

A knock came at the front door. Harry almost ran to open it, feeling excited. Flinging the door open, he saw Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Mr. Weasley. Ginny squealed, ran in and threw herself in his arms. Harry embraced her tightly, picking her up off the floor and spinning her around. He had missed her so much. 

"Harry, mate!" Ron shouted. Hermione and Mr. Weasley gave him enthusiastic greetings as well. Harry released Ginny and hugged Hermione. 

"What's all this bloody commotion?" shouted Uncle Vernon, coming out of the kitchen with a pinched-face Aunt Petunia and bored Dudley. He shot a somewhat fearful look at Mr. Weasley, but his anger seemed to win out as he glared at everyone. 

Not even Uncle Vernon's shouting could dampen Harry's mood. "You remember Ron and Mr. Weasley, of course. This is my friend Hermione, and this is my girlfriend, Ginny." 

Uncle Vernon and Dudley looked Ginny up and down, apparently wondering how Harry could possibly have a pretty girlfriend like that. Ginny stared back at them with undisguised hatred. Harry suspected they'd better go, or Ginny might do something they would all regret if the Dursleys made any sort of comment. 

Mr. Weasley seemed to have the same thought as he glanced at his daughter a bit nervously. "Um, ready, Harry? We have a car this time around to take us home." 

"Definitely," Harry said, grabbed his trunk, and walked out the door without a look back. 

As Harry sat down in the car, he glanced at the Dursleys standing on the porch, glaring at him, as if wondering what the neighbors would say about these strange visitors. An old saying came back to him, one that felt particularly apt at the moment. 

_Living well is the best revenge._

* * * 

Harry and Ginny strolled along the edge of the island, holding hands and enjoying the beautiful weather. They had both made certain they applied a sunscreen charm, considering their very fair skin. Harry glanced at some of the other people on the beach with their suntans a little jealously; he would never look like that. 

It was a few days after Harry's birthday. The Weasleys had arranged a traditional Greek barbecue on the beach, which had featured mountains of Greek food. Harry had been shocked, but pleased, when many of his older friends showed up, such as Tonks, Remus and Mad-Eye Moody. He would have liked to have seen some friends from Hogwarts, but it was too far of a journey. 

"The water is so amazingly blue," Ginny said, looking particularly pretty in the bright sunshine, Harry thought. 

"Yeah. I think after our walk, I'll definitely be ready for a swim," Harry replied. 

They continued hiking down the sand. Harry glanced over at her, thinking it was probably time for his surprise. 

"You know, Ginny, your birthday's coming up," Harry said. "The eleventh of August is next week." 

"What, do you think I forgot?" Ginny said with a grin. "All I can say is that Mum and Dad better have something planned to compete with your birthday. Though, I have to say that this trip is already the best birthday present I've ever had." 

Harry smiled. "I told your parents I wanted to take you someplace special for your birthday, just the two of us. I made reservations at that restaurant that was listed in the tour guide, Mezedopolio." 

Ginny's eyes widened. "Harry, I don't have anything to wear for that kind of a place!" 

"I suppose you'll just have to go shopping, won't you?" replied Harry, his smile widening into a grin. 

Ginny stopped and threw her arms around him, hugging him excitedly. She then gave him a huge kiss, and then looked him in the eye. "You're the most wonderful boyfriend in the world." 

Harry felt embarrassed, but pleased that she was happy, as they continued walking down the beach. He could see a few sunbathers and a few others splashing in the water, but the island was pleasantly uncrowded. 

As they chatted, Harry noticed a tall woman ahead who appeared vaguely familiar. She had long, blonde hair, and was wearing a rather skimpy bikini. Coming closer, the woman seemed to notice Harry and Ginny as well, and then appeared to squint at them. She abruptly stood up straight and waved her arm excitedly. 

"Who's that?" Ginny asked, as the woman started running toward them. 

"Harry! And Ginny!" the woman called out. 

"That's... that's Professor Melanadray!" Harry said in shock. He suddenly remembered that her family had a house in Greece on a beach – it must be on the island. 

Melanadray came up to them, smiling broadly. "Welcome to the island! I have to say, I'm a bit surprised to see you here." 

"Hello, Professor," Harry said politely, resisting a nervous urge to glance at Ginny. 

She laughed. "More of that 'Professor' stuff. I'm still not used to it, even after a year under my belt. Are you two on holiday, here?" 

"Yes," Ginny said. Harry finally glanced at her, and to his relief, she was smiling at the Melanadray. "In fact, along with my family and Hermione. 

"That's wonderful. If anyone deserves a holiday, it's you, Harry," Melanadray, smiling at him. Harry swallowed; the beach environment and bikini did nothing to lessen her looks. 

They chatted for a few more minutes, Melanadray giving some recommendations of things they should see on the island. Finally she sighed wistfully. 

"Well, I'll let you go. I just want to say..." She stopped, appearing oddly hesitant. "You two look lovely together. I'm glad that Harry found such a wonderful girl. You take care of him, all right, Ginny?" she said, with a small smile. 

"I will," Ginny smiled back. She hesitated, and then said, "I hope we'll see you around again." 

"I hope so, too. And you take care, too, Harry, okay?" Melanadray said to Harry, looking him in the eye. 

Harry nodded. "I will, thanks." 

Melanadray paused, gave him a smile with a tiny note of sadness, then turned and strolled away toward a house a short distance away. 

* * * 

"What a fantastic dinner," Ginny said, wearing a very pretty dark green dress as they walked out of the restaurant. "Thank you so much for this Harry. It was a wonderful birthday." 

"You're welcome," Harry said, smiling at her and feeling full and satisfied from the evening. 

Somewhat to his chagrin, the restaurant owner had recognized Harry and had insisted on bringing a taste of everything in the house, not to mention giving them the best table in the place, overlooking the ocean. On balance, however, it made Ginny's birthday that much more special, so he didn't mind his fame for once. 

Harry glanced again at Ginny; he couldn't help looking at her tonight. She looked so pretty. Ginny had taken Hermione with her shopping several days before and hadn't showed Harry the outfit, wanting to surprise him tonight. When she'd come out of her room, he couldn't help gasping a little bit. He thought she looked even better than she had at the Spring Ball. It was very silly, but Harry couldn't help but feel a bit smug at the thought. Matt Prescott was long gone in Ginny's attentions, but this seemed like the final purging of that incident. 

The restaurant was up on a tall hill; they walked along the edge in the moonlight, holding hands under the stars, watching the moon reflect on the ocean water. They stopped in an isolated spot, kissing for several minutes. 

"Let's go back to the hotel, change, and fly somewhere. I want to see the island in the moonlight," Ginny whispered. 

"All right," Harry said, smiling. 

The island had its own equivalent of the Knight Bus; while the bus seemed to be just as mad as the one in London, the Greek driver was very funny and entertaining, breaking out in Greek ballads at the top of his lungs. 

Harry held up his wand, and the bus suddenly appeared. They climbed aboard, sitting on one of the small beds. The driver grinned at them and broke out into a Greek love poem, singing the words: 

_He is more than a hero,  
he is a god in my eyes --  
the man who is allowed to sit beside you.  
He who listens intimately  
to the sweet murmur of your voice,  
the enticing laughter that makes my own heart beat fast._

_If I meet you suddenly,  
I can't speak -- my tongue is broken;  
a thin flame runs under my skin.  
Seeing nothing,  
hearing only my own ears drumming,  
I drip with sweat.  
Trembling shakes my body  
and I turn paler than dry grass.  
At such times death is not far from me._

"That is Sappho! She was our greatest love poet of ancient Greece! Nothing much changes in 2,600 years, eh? Eh?" he shouted at them exuberantly. 

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other, blushing, but smiling. 

They pulled up to the hotel, the driver shouting a boisterous farewell. Harry and Ginny got off the bus and walked up to their block of rooms on the third floor. 

"See you in a few minutes," Ginny said, kissing him and going into the room she shared with Hermione. 

Harry opened the door to his own room that he shared with Ron, feeling a bit dazed by the evening. He switched on the light and stopped dead, seeing Ron and Hermione wrapped together on the bed, fortunately still somewhat clothed. They both immediately separated, Hermione rolling off the bed like it was on fire. 

"Er, Harry!" Hermione said nervously. "Back so soon?" 

"Um, mate..." Ron started. 

Harry held up a hand. "I'm just here to change and get my broom. This never happened. I don't want to see any more." 

Keeping his head down, he almost ran through the room, grabbing some clothes and closing himself off in the bathroom. Harry quickly changed, and then left the room to a blushing Ron and Hermione. Harry sighed with relief as he closed the door behind him. 

Just then, Ginny came out of her room, but not carrying her broom. 

"Where's your broom?" he asked. 

"I want to ride with you," Ginny said, smiling. 

They raced down the stairs, laughing as they ran outside the hotel. Harry mounted the broom and Ginny got on behind him, holding tight. They flew into the night sky, the warm air exhilarating. 

Higher and higher Harry took them, until they could see the entire island below them. The moon was nearly full; the island was bathed in a glowing moonlight. They could see thick trees and green rolling hills below them. 

"It's beautiful," Ginny sighed, resting her head on Harry's back. Her hands were lightly stroking his shoulders, making his breath grow a bit short. 

"Let's go fast around the island," she whispered to him. 

Harry didn't need to be told twice. He went into a power dive toward the island, Ginny whooping behind him and holding him tightly. He leveled off, racing through the hills around the island. 

"Faster," she whispered in his ear. 

Harry grinned and pushed the broom to the limit, flying at an almost reckless speed. He felt connected to Ginny in a unique way that he'd never felt before, as though they were both flying as one. 

They circled the island several times, diving through canyons and flying between split rocks jutting above the ocean. Finally Ginny spotted a very isolated location with trees that opened up to an incredible view of the island chains and the Greek mainland. She gestured toward the place, and Harry brought them down to the spot. 

As soon as they landed, Ginny turned and kissed Harry passionately. After several minutes, they broke away. Ginny smiled and conjured a blanket for them to sit on, and they took a seat, just looking out over the water at the moon. They watched for quite some time, just enjoying the beautiful evening. 

"Have wizards ever been to the moon?" Harry asked curiously. 

"You mean _on _the moon? No, that's impossible," Ginny replied. 

"Did you know that Muggles have been there?" Harry said. 

Ginny laughed. "You're teasing me." 

"No, really... but they only traveled there for a few years," Harry said. "But they still go into space sometimes." 

"How do they get there?" Ginny said. 

"Riding inside a big rocket. Like... a big firework. I'm surprised your dad didn't know," Harry said. 

"Muggles are insane," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "Riding a big firework. Honestly! Well, don't tell Dad. He'll want to try it," she said, giggling. 

Another silence grew between them as they looked at the stars. The night was extremely clear; the Milky Way was clearly visible with thousands of stars stretching across the sky. 

"I'm the luckiest girl in the world," Ginny whispered. 

Harry looked at her seriously. "Not half as lucky as I am." 

"You're one of the most eligible teenagers in the wizarding world. The Daily Prophet said so," she said teasingly. "I'd say that makes me luckier." 

Harry shook his head, still with a very serious expression. "No," he said quietly. 

Ginny swallowed, appearing very emotional. "I love you so much, Harry." 

Harry's breath caught; he didn't think he'd ever get tired of her saying that. "I love you, too," he said. 

They leaned over and kissed each other very gently, then lay down on the blanket next to each other, staring up into the sky. 

"This is such a special place," Ginny whispered. 

"Yeah..." Harry said, his mind seeming to float as he watched the stars. 

Somewhere in Harry's mind he knew that all his problems still existed, that life might not be very long for him. But somehow all that felt very small at the moment, staring up into the huge sky. A warm breeze blew through the tree-lined cove... he could feel Ginny alongside his body, stirring deep feelings. 

Ginny turned and whispered to him. "Harry..." She whispered words of love into his ear, making him shiver despite the warm weather. 

Harry rolled over, looking down at Ginny. Her eyes reflected the moonlight as she gazed warmly back at him with a small smile. She reached up and touched his face, gently running her fingers along his features. 

Harry felt a knot of fear and excitement in his stomach as he leaned down and kissed her, as they lay together beneath a starry blanket, on a Greek summer night. 

* * * 

The shadowy figure moved through the town of Hogsmeade beneath the moonlight. He stuck to the shadows, his head hidden by the hood of his robe. Finally reaching an old wooden door, he glanced around carefully before entering the building. 

He caught the eye of the man behind the bar, giving him a curt nod. The barman, wiping a glass with a dirty rag, barely acknowledged him. 

The man quickly climbed the stairs, walking down a hall toward the end. He knocked politely on the door, and then entered the room, closing the door after him. 

Albus Dumbledore sat at a table, stroking his white beard as he read a long piece of parchment. He glanced up, nodding at the man, who took a seat across the table. The man lifted his hood, revealing himself as Severus Snape. 

The barman silently entered the room, placing a goblet of wine in front of Snape, who gazed across the dim room in the top of the Hog's Head. He picked it up, taking a delicate sniff before bringing it to his lips for a small sip. A similar goblet of brandy was placed before Dumbledore. 

"Thank you, Aberforth," Dumbledore said. The barman nodded and withdrew from the room. 

"Have you had a good summer, Severus?" asked Dumbledore politely. 

Snape stared at Dumbledore, as though wondering if his question was serious or a joke. "It has been... tense," he said smoothly. "The Dark Lord is not in the best of moods at the moment." 

"I can imagine," Dumbledore said, chuckling. 

A contemplative silence settling over them as they both took long drinks from their goblets. 

"Well, Severus, an eventful year, I would say," Dumbledore said. 

"Indeed," Snape said. He seemed to withdraw into himself a bit more at that. 

"Is something bothering you?" Dumbledore said gently, with a small smile. 

Snape glanced at Dumbledore, and then appeared to stare interestedly at a cobweb in the corner of the room, taking another sip of his wine. 

"Mr. Potter, I presume?" asked Dumbledore. 

Snape let out a tiny sigh, his face moving from expressionless to a scowl. 

"Do you now concede that he is the one of whom the prophecy speaks?" continued Dumbledore. 

Snape paused, and then said grudgingly, "I am forced to admit that Potter knows a few more tricks than expected. And so like his father, he certainly... used them." 

"I warned you before the year began that Mr. Potter was not quite, er, in control of himself," Dumbledore said kindly. 

Snape's face finally cracked into an open expression of annoyance. "Do you think it was... _prudent_ to set a precedent of a student attacking a teacher with no punishment?" He said smoothly, but with an edge. "And don't give me more rubbish about dueling statutes." 

"I must point out that you _did _provoke Mr. Potter more than usual." 

Snape gripped his goblet more tightly, bringing the cup to his pale lips. 

"Now, Severus," Dumbledore continued, "I stopped him before he could do, ah, significant damage." 

There was a long pause. Snape blinked, then turned sharply to Dumbledore. "Stopped him before..." he paused again, a suspicious expression washing across his features. "My students told me that Pomfrey came in with you. Why was she with you... How did you know..." 

Dumbledore smiled kindly at him, but said nothing. 

Snape's face melted into a stunned expression. He spoke in a voice of wonder. "You were watching. This whole year – _You set me up!_" 

"Severus, you are a credit to the Order," Dumbledore said jovially. "I've always thought you were the brightest of us." 

Dumbledore reached down to a satchel and pulled out a stack of the latest Death Eater activity reports for review. 

THE END

_A/N: Wow, the end of the story. I have to say, I never expected this story to grow to this size. My original motivation was to do Harry/Ginny 'right,' along with some ideas I had for the rest of the series. And it sort of grew from there. I can't wait for the real book six, not least because I want to see if I score any plot hits. :)_

_A final thanks to my loyal beta readers Allie Kiwi and DM, who both made significant contributions to this story. And must say thank you to my first beta reader Delylah, who only read the first couple of chapters, but had a dramatic influence on how things went. She cleaned up a lot of my writing problems early on, which made the entire story better. Not to mention that she taught me how to place commas._

_Of course, I must also thank the reviewers. Some authors can write just for themselves, but I'm not one of them, and the encouragement along the way was appreciated._

_Well, there are no new chapters, but my Yahoo group has some fun discussions, and I'll send out notifications for any new stories I write. Check it out at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakening_power, or just send an e-mail to awakening_power-subscribe@yahoogroups.com._


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